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AUTHOR: 


MACLEAN,  JOHN 

PATTERSON 


TITLE: 


A  SKETCH  OF  LIFE 
AND  LABORS  OF... 


PLACE: 


FRANKLIN 


DA  TE : 


1905 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DEPARTMENT 


Master  Negative  # 


BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MICROFORM  TARGET 


Original  Material  as  Filmed  -  Existing  Bibliographic  Record 


(  938.98 
M22 


MacLean,  John  Patterson,  1848-  1939. 

A  sketch  of  the  life  and  labors  of  Richard  McNemar,  by 
J.  P.  MacLean  ...  Franklin,  O.,  Printed  for  the  author  by 
the  Franklin  chronicle,  1905. 

67  p.    lllus.  (port.)     23i- 

"Edition  limited  to  250  copies." 
Bibliography :  p.  64-67. 


Restrictions  on  Use: 


1.  McNemar.  Richard,  1770-1839. 


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-4. 


SKETCH 


OF    THE 


LIFE    AND    LABORS 


OF 


Richard  McNemar 


*. 


BY 


J.  P.  MacLean 


•  I  I 


Edition  Limited  to  250  Copies 


Price  50  Cents 


FRANKLIN,  OHIO 

Printed  for  the  Author  by 

THE  FRANKLIN  CHRONICLE 

1905 


Richard  McNemar. 


ViNCT  McNemar 

* 

(Aged  80 years) 


CHAPTER    I. 


EARLY   LIFE. 


The  reputation  of  a  man  depends  largely  on  his  environment. 
Some  men  climb  the  ladder  of  fame,  not  on  account  of  their  ability  or 
worth,  but  owing  to  their  surroundings.  There  are  others  of  unques- 
tioned mental  powers  and  force,  who  have  toiled  with  unceasing  disin-  • 
terestedness  and  achieved  a  certain  degree  of  succe8s,but  finally  became 
unknown  because  their  sphere  of  action  was  circumscribed. 

When  a  man  of  pronounced  talents  has  labored  faithfully  and 
perseveringly,  with  an  eye  single  to  what  he  believed  to  be  the  best  for 
the  welfare  of  his  fellow-creatures,  and  on  account  of  his  devotedness  to 
principle  has  been  maligned  by  those  differing  from  his  views,  and 
moreover  persecuted  by  those  of  his  household  of  faith,  it  not  only  be- 
comes a  problem  in  sociology,  but  also  a  cause  for  pointing  out  a  lesson 
in  our  common  humanity. 

There  once  lived  in  the  Miami  country  a  man  who  had  attained 
to  a  greater  renown  in  religious  eircles  than  any  who  have  succeeded 
him  in  the  same  borders  where  his  toils  were  displayed.  No  man  has 
ever  lived  who  had  greater  powers  of  swaying  a  multitude.  So  great 
was  his  eloquence  and  magnetism  that  people  flocked  to  hear  him,  com- 
ing on  horseback,  in  wagons  and  on  foot,  many  of  whom  were  from 
long  distances.  In  one  instance  it  is  reputed  that  30,000  assembled 
and  listened  to  his  wonderful  flights  of  oratory.  At  one  time  he  be- 
came the  principle  leader  in  a  new  religious  movement  and  practically 
stood  at  the  head  of  a  young  and  vigorous  sect.  Had  he  been .  a  time 
server,  a  lover  of  the  world's  approbation,  and  proved  false  to  his  con- 
victions, the  name  of  Richard  McNemar  would  not  have  been  a  mere 
tradition  at  this  late  day.  Such  a  commanding  figure  deserves  more 
than  a  passing  notice. 

Two  descriptions  of  this  remarkable  man  have  been  preserved. 
One  represents  him  as  **talland  gaunt,  but  commanding  in  appearance, 


3760 


n 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


with  piercing,  restless  eyes,  ever  in  motion,  and  an  expressive  counte- 
nance. He  was  a  classical  scholar,  and  read  Latin,  Greek  and  Hebrew 
with  ease.  His  manner  of  preaching  inclined  to  the  fervent  and  ex- 
citing, with  much  animation  and  vociferation,  which  gave  him  great 
power  over  the  uncultivated  audiences  he  addressed."  An  elderly 
lady,  who  personally  knew  McNemar,thu8  writes  to  me  concerning  him: 
**It  would  be  admitted  no  doubt  that  in  respect  to  person,  features, 
manly  and  winning  address,  that  his  equal  would  not  be  easily  found 
by  the  general  observer.  I  cannot  expect  to  describe  Justly  a  man  who 
was  counted  as  handsome  as  was  Richard  McNemar,  embodied  in  the 
wealth  of  his  native  endowment,  toilsome  acquirement,  and  qualities 
of  mind  studiously  trained  in  the  successful  mission  conducive  to  rul- 
ing attainment,  thus  making  supremely  expressive  the  features  and 
visage  of  face  derived  from  the  storage  recesses  of  a  most  receptive  and 
fruitful  mind.  In  the  social  gathering,  especially  when  surrounded  by 
mutual  friends,  his  visage  and  manners  were  charming,  attractive  and 
fairly  adorable.  I  have  ever  heard  him  spoken  of,  by  those  who  knew 
him  best,  as  being  very  industrious,  and  whenever  at  home  (returning 
from  his  missionary  tours,  or  business  trips),  he  would  generally  go  to 
the  carpenter  shop.  He  was  a  good  chair  and  cabinet  maker,  and  un- 
excelled as  a  bookbinder.  He  was  especially  choice  of  his  tools,  and 
for  them  made  a  bureau  with  drawers,  which  was  fastened  in  a  tool 
cupboard.  This  cupboard  with  the  little  bureau,  still  stands  in  the 
brick  building  opposite  the  present  Centre  Family  dwelling  at  Union 
Village.  He  worked  very  fast  and  with  a  marvelous  slight.  Never 
did  he  balk  with  two  strokes  where  one  should  suflace." 

The  patronymic  McNemar  is  a  corruption  of  MacNamara,  and 
literally  means  (according  to  Long's  "Personal  and  Family  Names") 
**Son  of  the  Sea."  There  are  two  of  McNemar's  poems  extant  in  MS.  in 
which  he  interprets  McNemar  to  mean  "Nobody's  Son."  One  of  these 
poems  concludes  as  follows : 

*'I  have  heard  and  believed  what  the  gospel  declares. 
And  strictly  obeyed  it  for  more  than  two  years, 
And  yet  you  may  see  after  all  that  is  done, 
My  name  is  McNemar,  or  nobody's  son." 

The  name  is  not  uniformly  spelled.  In  the  several  editions 
of  his  **Kentucky  Revival"  it  is  spelled  "McNemar,"  but  in  his  or- 
iginal  MSS.,  so  far  as  I  have  examined,  it  is  **McNamer." 

The  family  of  McNemar  belonged  to  the  great  Scotch-Irish  mi- 
gration that  swept  over  and  populated  the  western  half  of    Pennsylva- 


I 


I 


I 


4 


I  i 


nia.  This  race  was  characterized  by  intelligence,  resolution,  energy, 
religious  zeal  and  morality.  It  was  a  God-fearing,  liberty-loving, 
tyrant- hating,  Sabbath-keeping,  convenant-adhering  people.  The 
women  were  fine  specimens  jot  the  sex,  medium  in  height,  strongly 
built,  fair  complexions,  light  blue  or  grey  eyes,  ruddy  cheeks  and 
faces  indicating  a  warm  heart,  intelligence  and  courage ;  and  possess- 
ing those  virtues  which  constitute  the  redeeming  qualities  of  humanity. 
The  forbears  of  Richard  McNemar  belonged  to  this  race.  His 
mother  was  a  Knox.  In  a  MS.  entitled  **Memorable  events  in  the 
life  of  Richard  McNemar,"  written  by  himself,  we  learn  that  he  wag 
born  Nov.  20,  1770,  inTuscarora,  Pa.  In  1775  the  family  moved  further 
up  the  Juniata  river,  to  a  place  called  Heart's  Log,  five  miles  above  the 
Standing  Stone,now  called  Huntingdon.  After  residing  there  four  years 
the  family  moved  eastward  about  ten  miles  to  a  rich  settlement  on 
Shaner's  Creek  where  they  continued  about  three  years.  About  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  War  or  in  the  autumn  of  1783,  the  family 
moved  south  into  the  Kishacoqueller  Valley.  Richard  the  youngest 
of  the  family  lived  with  his  parents  after  all  his  brothers  and  sisters 
were  scattered,  or  gone  into  the  world.  In  the  summer  he  worked  on 
the  farm  with  his  father  and  in  the  winter  went  to  school  until  the 
year  1786,  with  the  good  will  and  consent  of  his  parents,  he  left 
home  and  took  charge  of  a  school  in  Stone  Valley,  on  April  1st.  Dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1787  he  worked  at  odd  jobs  and  in  the  fall  went  to 
the  Redstone  country.  In  the  fall  of  1788  he  taught  school  in  the  Vallev, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1789  he  returned  to  Redstone  and  commenced  teach- 
ing; went  to  Kentucky,  returned  on  January  1st,  1790  began  to 
teach  at  Ligonia  and  continued  until  the  last  of  April  1791.  About 
the  middle  of  May  following  began  teaching  at  Salem ;  six 
months  later  descended  the  Ohio  in  company  with  Findley,  Marshall 
and  Allen,  arrived  at  Maysville  (then  called  Limestone)  November  8th. 
About  Christmas  following  in  company  with  Malcolm  Worley,  he  en- 
tered school  and  began  the  study  of  Latin.  On  March  31st,  1792, 
embarked  for  Cincinnati  where  he  arrived  early  the  next  morning. 
Here  he  remained  three  months  and  preached  fifteen  sermons  in  Cincin- 
nati, Columbia,  Round  Bottom  and  Covalt's  Station,  in  the  interests  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  About  the  last  of  June  he  returned  to  Elk- 
horn  and  resumed  his  studies.  The  following  December  he  removed 
to  Caneridge,  Ky.,  and  lived  with  Robert  Finley  until  May  1793, 
when  he  took  up  his  abode  with  Elder  John  Luckes,  where  he  remained 
till  the  spring  of  1795,  and  then  commenced  to   reside  in  Madison 


e  RICHARD  McNEMAR 

county  and  taught  school  in  the  autumn  of  1796.  He  returned  to 
Caneridge,  and  in  January  1797  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  in  the 
fall  moved  to  Cabin  Creek.  In  the  fall  of  1798  resided  on  the  river 
hill.  Attended  the  General  Assembly  in  Virginia,  May  1799,  return- 
ing the  last  part  of  elune,  and  the  following  November  was  present  at 
Presbytery  at  Orangedale,a  small  hamlet  south  of  Middletown, Ohio, now 
called  Le  Sourdsville,  He  attended  the  Presbytery  in  company  with 
John  Dunlavy,  for  the  purpose  of  ordaining  Archibald  Steel  as  pastor  of 
the  congregation.  *'0n  that  occas:*on  I  found  a  large  and  respectable 
congregation,  had  an  interview  with  their  pastor,  James  Kemper,  at  the 
house  of  Jonathan  Tichnor,  one  of  the  elders,  where  I  held  an  eve- 
ning meeting,  and  where  we  lodged  together.  Kemper  was  about  to 
move  up  his  family  from  the  vicinity  of  Cincinnati  and  to  takc- 
charge  of  the  Turtle  Creek  (now  Union  Village)  congregation."  It 
was  during  this  time  that  Richard    preached  at  Turtle  Creek    for  the 

first  time. 

The  mind  of  Richard  McNemar  was  undergoing  an  evolution  to 
which  he  was  not  awakened  until  his  teachings  caused  much  question- 
ing. Essentially  he  had  a  broad  mind,  and  while  he  believed  fervent- 
ly and  was  ever  faithful  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience,  yet  his  mind 
was  ever  open  for  more  light.  In  no  sense  was  he  a  bigot.  He  ac- 
corded to  others  the  same  rights  he  reserved  for  himself.  When  con- 
scious of  errors  in  theology  he  did  not  hesitate  to  accept  and  reject. 
He  was  ever  conscientious  in  the  pursuit  of  the  things  he  believed  to 
be  true. 

CHAPTER  II. 

CHARGES    OF   HERESY. 

The  records  of  the  Presbytery  of  Washington  show  that  its  first 
session  was  held  at  Johnston's  Fork  Meeting  house,  April  9th  and  10th, 
1799.  This  Presbytery  was  composed  of  seven  ministers  and  the 
churches  known  as  Johnston's  Fork,  Cabin  Creek,  Washington,  Union, 
Lee's  Creek  and  Red  Oak,  in  Kentucky,  and  Springfield,  (Springdale), 
Hold's  Creek,  West  Union,  Clear  Creek,  Orangedale,  Brush  Creek, 
Denny's  Station  on  Mad  river,and  Chillicothe,  in  Ohio.  At  this  session 
Eagle  Creek  congregation,  three  miles  from  West  Union,  Adams  Co., 
Ohio,  petitioned,  through  McNemar  to  be  taken  into  the  Presbytery. 
At  the  session  at  Orangedale  in  November,  McNemar  presided.  The 
ministers   were   Richard  McNemar,  John  Dunlavy,   James   Kemper, 


RICHARD  McNEMAR  7 

Mathew  G.  Wallace,  John  E.  Finley,  William  Speer  and  John  P.  Camp- 
bell. At  the  first  session  McNemar  was  appointed  commissioner  to  the 
Assembly,  and  to  supply  Union  church,  Kentucky,  one  half  the  time. 
At  the  session  of  Presbytery,  October  24,  1799,  he  gave  a  narrative  of 
the  transactions  of  the  Assembly,  and  the  ^Tresbytery  expressed  their 
approbation  of  his  faithfulness  as  commissioner." 

In  Presbytery,  held  at  Red  Oak,  April  14 — 15,  1801,  by  request 
of  McNemar,  his  pastoral  relation  with  the  church  at  Cabin  Creek, 
Lewis  County,  Kentucky,  was  dissolved.  That  church  was  represented 
by  General  Joseph  Darlinton,  an  elder  in  the  West  Union  church, 
who  stated  **that  on  account  of  the  inability  to  comply  with  the  terms 
of  McNemar's  settlement,  they  agree  to  a  dissolution  of  their  connec- 
tion with  their  parson,  provided  he  continue  half  the  time."  Presby- 
tery then  directed  ^ 'that  Mr.  McNemar  employ  only  half  his  time  in 
that  congregation,  and  that  they  pay  him  proportionately  according  to 
the  terms  of  his  settlement." 

The  period  of  Richard's  life  now  reached  was  during  the  rise 
of  the  Kentucky  Revival  which  had  such  a  potent  influence  over  the 
minds  of  some  of  the  ablest  Presbyterians  ministers  of  Ohio  and  Ken- 
tucky. Doubtless  these  ministers  were  not  cognizant  of  what  influ- 
ence had  been  awakening  their  religious  perceptions.  The  doctrine  of 
free  grace  was  and  had  been  vigorously  promulgated  with  perceptible 
effect  even  in  the  Presbyterian  fold.  The  more  liberally  disposed 
Presbyterian  clergy  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  revival,  though  frowned 
upon  by  the  more  rigid.  The  preachers  who  had  been  drawn  into  the 
movement  omitted  the  doctrines  of  election  and  reprobation  as 
taught  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  and  vigorously  proclaimed  a  free 
salvation  to  all,  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  They  engaged  in  no 
contradictory  explanations  and  double  meanings  which  scholastic  di- 
vines had  made  acceptable.  This  style  of  preaching  was  not  such 
as  was  common  among  Presbyterians,  which  caused  a  murmuring  that 
spread  throughout  certain  sections  of  the  country.  The  campmeetings 
brought  different  types  of  the  clergy  together  and  from  this  mutual 
interest  broader  views  rapidly  began  to  dominate.  Amid  this  gather- 
ing of  the  storm  the  ministers  treated  one  another  in  a  tolerant  spirit. 

Richard  McNemar  had  forged  to  the  front  as  the  leading  spirit 
in  the  revival  that  had  shaken  the  population  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky. 
Being  of  an  independent  cast  of  mind,  imaginative  and  fervent  he  was 
led  to  preach  more  explicitly  than  the  others.  It  is  then  of  no  sur- 
prise that  he  should  be  singled  out  as  the  first  victim  to  rest  under  the 


8 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


9 


charge  of  heresy.  The  opposition  originated  in  the  congregation  of 
Cabin  Creek,  of  which  Richard  McNemar  had  charge.  The  complaints 
and  charges  dated  November  3,  1801,  were  laid  before  the  Presbytery 
at  Springfield,  (Springdale,  Hamilton  County,  Ohio,)  on  the  11th  fol- 
lowing, of  which  a  transcript  is  here  given : 

^^TheJiev,  Presbytery: — As  we  expect  some  accounts  of  the  un- 
happy situation  of  our  congregation  have  reached  you  and  excited  anx- 
iety, and  as  we  consider  ourselves  under  your  care,  and  look  to  you 
for  counsel,  and  interference  between  our  pastor,  Mr.  McNemar,  and 
us,  who  were  members  of  his  session,  together  with  a  great  part  of  the 
people ;  we  take  tne  liberty  to  give  you  a  brief  account  of  our  differ- 
ences, from  their  first  commencement  to  the  present  time. 

*'Some  time  last  winter  he  began,  as  we  believe,  in  his  preaching 
to  deviate  from  the  doctrines  contained  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  which  we  believe  to  be  perfectly  consistent 
with  the  word  of  God ;  an  account  of  which  we  enclose  to  the  Rev. 
Presbytery.  Some  of  us  then  privately  conversed  with  him  on  the 
subject,  but  to  no  purpose.  We  then  as  a  session  collectively,  conversed 
with  him,  but  the  consequence  was,  that  the  difference  in  our  opinions 
was  augmented.  We  continued  frequently  as  individuals  to  deal  with 
him  on  more  points ;  but  to  no  other  purpose  than  to  make  him  more 
zealous  in  propagating  those  sentiments  which  we  opposed.  And  al- 
though we  endeavored  to  keep  those  differences  private  from  the  peo- 
ple, yet  he  frequently  made  use  of  such  language,  when  on  those  points 
as  naturally  led  the  people  to  understand  that  there  was  a  difference 
between  him  and  us,  and  repeatedly  misconstrued  our  conduct  and 
principles,  ridiculing  us  from  the  pulpit;  though  not  by  name,  yet  in 
such  language  as  to  convince  every  attentive  person  present,  who  and 
what  he  meant.  Our  influence  was  hurt,  and  deviations  in  doctrine 
and  church  discipline  increased  to  such  a  degree  that  we  could  do  little 
or  no  business  in  session ;  and  the  people  over  whom  we  considered 
ourselves  guardians,  were  some  of  them  sucking  in  those  ideas,  which 
we  believed  to  be  dangerous  and  pernicious.  Others  of  them,  from  a 
sense  of  those  dangers,  were  urging  us  to  take  some  measures  to  pre- 
vent the  people  from  being  imposed  upon.  In  this  situation  we  were, 
and  the  time  of  the  meeting  of  that  Presbytery,  to  which  we  deigned 
to  apply  for  redress,  being  far  distant,  we  applied  to  a  neighboring 
Bishop  for  advice ;  and  finally  concluded  on  a  week  day  meeting,  pub- 
licly to  vindicate  that  cause  in  which  we  were  engaged ;  and  to  show 
wherein  Mr.  McNemar's   doctrine   was   inconsistent  with  the  doctrine 


and  discipline  of  our  church ;  and  after  informing  him,  before  a  num- 
,  ,  ber  of  witnesses,  of  the  measures  we  were  going  to  adopt,  and  he  re- 
I  ^  maining  obstinate,  we  proceeded  to  the  disagreeable  though  in  our 
opinion  necessary  task.  And  ever  being  desirous  of  accommodating 
the  unhappy  difference,  we  lately  proposed  to  Mr.  McNemar  in  the 
presence  of  the  Rev.  John  Dunlavy,  and  Messrs.  James  Bairdand  John 
Donalson,  two  of  his  elders,  that  if  he  would  profess  to  believe  in  the 
doctrine  contained  in  the  Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  that  he  would  propagate  and  defend  the  same,  and  no 
other  in  contradiction  to  them,  and  be  ruled  by  the  book  of  discipline, 
that  we  would  then  bury  all  our  former  differences ;  that  we  would  re- 
turn and  go  hand  in  hand  in  countenancing  and  assisting  him,  as  far 
as  in  our  power,  in  his  ministry  among  us.  But  he  replied  that  our 
proposals  were  improper,  and  that  a  compliance  would  be  attended 
with  bad  consequences,  and  futher  added,  that  he  would  be  bound  by 
no  system  but  the  Bible ;  and  that  he  believed  that  systems  were  detri- 
mental to  the  life  and  power  of  religion. 

*  *Thus  we  have  given  to  the  Reverend  Presbytery  a  brief  ac- 
count of  our  situation,  and  submit  the  business  to  your  superior  judg- 
ment, praying  that  you  will  take  such  measures  as  in  your  judgment 
will  best  establish  that  faith,  once  delivered  to  the  saints;  and  pro- 
mote the  interest  and  peace  of  Christ's  kingdom  among  us. 

**The  charges  contained  in  the  enclosed  statement  can  be  fully 
substantiated.     We  are,  with  due  submission,  yours,  etc. 

Joseph  Darlinton, 
Robert  Robb, 
Robert  Robinson." 

**A  statement  of  such  doctrines  as  have  been  advanced  and  ad- 
vocated by  Richard  McNemar,  which  are  considered  to  be  inconsistent 
with  the  word  of  God,  and  the  constitution  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

**1.  He  reprobated  the  idea  of  sinners  attempting  to  pray,  or 
being  exorted  thereto,  before  they  were  believers  in  Christ. 

"2.  He  has  condemned  those  who  urge  that  convictions  are 
necessary,  or  that  prayer  is  proper  in  the  sinner. 

**3.  He  has  expressly  declared,  at  several  times,  that  Christ 
has  purchased  salvation  for  all  the  human  race  without  distinction. 

**4.  He  has  expressly  declared  that  a  sinner  has  power  to  be- 
lieve in  Christ  at  any  time. 

**5.     That  a   sinner    has    as  much  power    to  act  faith,  as  to  act 


10 


RICHAKD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


11 


unbelief ;  and  reprobated  every  idea  in  contradiction  thereto,  held  by 
persons  of  a  contrary  opinion. 

**6.  He  has  expressly  said,  that  faith  consisted  in  the  creature's 
persuading  himself  assuredly,  that  Christ  died  for  him  in  particular ; 
that  doubting  and  examining  into  evidences  of  faith,  were  inconsistent 
with,  and  contrary  to  the  nature  of  faith ;  and  in  order  to  establish 
these  sentiments,  he  explained  away  these  wordB'-Faith  is  the  gift  of 
God,  by  saying  it  was  Christ  Jesus,  the  object  of  faith  there  meant, 
and  not  faith  itself;  and  also,  these  words,  *No  man  can  come  to  me, 
except  the  Father  who  hath  sent  me  draw  him' ;  by  saying  that 
the  drawing  there  meant,  was  Christ  offered  in  the  Gospel ;  and  that 
the  Father  knew  no  other  drawing,  or  higher  power,    than    holding  up 

his  Son  in  the  Gospel." 

The  action  of  the  Presbytery,  there  being  present  McNemar, 
Kemper  and  Wallace,  and  but  one  elder,  Mo&es  Miller,  was  thus  noted : 

**A  letter,  with  certain  other  papers,  from  three  of  the  former 
elders  of  Cabin-creek  congregation,  containing  certain  charges  respect- 
ing doctrines,  against  the  Rev.  R.  McNemar,  was  presented  to  Presby- 
tery. Presbytery  having  taken  into  consideration  the  papers  from 
Cabin-creek,  concluded  it  irregular  to  take  any  further  notice  of  them ; 
as  no  person,  at  present,    proposed  to  substantiate  the  charges  stated 

in  them." 

Having  thus  disposed  of  the  charges  McNemar  asked  privilege 
to  explain  his  position.  His  remarks  were  not  then  reduced  to  writing, 
but  afterward  he  related  the  substance  of  them.  With  respect  to  the 
petition  he  stated  that  previous  to  bringing  it  forward,  that  the  movers 
in  it,by  the  advice  of  a  neighboring  Bi8hop,engaged  in  a  public  vindica- 
tion' of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  in  which  they  tried  to  prove  that  the 
general  call  of  the  Gospel  was  inconsistent  with  the  Westminister  doc- 
trine of  Election,  Reprobation  and  Faith.  This  discussion  greatly  contri- 
buted to  the  unhappiness  of  the  congregation  and  tended  to  check  the  re- 
vival work  in  which  the  church  was  engaged.  Upon  the  first  charge 
he  declared  that  faith  is  the  first  thing  God  requires  of  the  sinner ; 
and  he  had  no  idea  of  him  praying  but  in  faith. 

On  the  second,  the  question  in  debate  was,  whether  any  other 
convictions  are  necessary  to  authorize  the  soul  to  believe,  than  those 
which  arise  from  the  testimony  of  God  in  his  word. 

On  the  third,  Christ  is  by  office  the  Savior  of  all  men. 

On  the  fourth,  the  sinner  is  capable  of  receiving  the  testimony 
of  God  at  any  time  he  heard  it. 


Concerning  the  fifth  the  sinner  is  as  capable  of  believing  or  dis- 
believing, according  to  the  evidence  presented  to  the  views  of  his  mind. 

The  first  part  of  the  sixth,  charge  is  groundless.  The  second 
part,  that  doubting  the  veracity  of  God,  and  looking  unto  ourselves 
for  evidence,  is  contrary  to  Scripture.  On  the  third  part,  viz.,  ex- 
plaining away  Scripture,  he  replied  if  that  was  explaining  them  away, 
had  done  it. 

The  wise  and  prudent  action  of  Presbytery  suppressed  the  flame 
of  opposition,  and  an  agreement  during  the  month  of  March    following 
was  entered  into,  which  took  place  in  the    presence    of    Rev.  John  E. 
Finley,  and  with  his  approbation,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

**Whereas,  a  difference  has  existed  for  some  time  between  the 
Rev.  R.  McNemar  of  the  one  part  and  Joseph  Darlinton,  Robert  Robb^ 
and  Robert  Robinson,  ruling  elders  in  the  congregation  of  Cabin-creek 
of  the  other  part,  upon  certain  points  of  doctrine,  which  has  threat- 
ened much  evil  to  that  branch  of  the  church: — We  having  met,  and 
entered  into  a  free  and  full  conversation  on  the  subjects  in  controversy, 
do  now  mutually  agree  to  pass  over  all  past  altercations,  and  cordially 
unite  in  communion  for  the  future.  In  witness  whereof,  we  have  here- 
with set  our  hands,  this  6th  day  of  March,  1802.     Signed  by 

J.  Darlinton, 
R.  Robb, 
Robert  Robinson, 
Testis,  John  E.  Finley.  R.  McNemar." 

Among  persistent  men,  none  are  more  ungenerous,  malignant, 
clamorous,  uncharitable,  thaa  the  heresy  hunter.  It  may  be  safely 
affirmed  that  the  persecuted  invariably  is  nearer  the  Kingdom  than 
the  persecutor.  The  wedge  had  been  driven  in,  and,  although  appar- 
ently rendered  harmless,  it  was  destined  to  disunite  and  prostrate  the 
Presbyttrian  church  in  Ohio,  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  From  the  blow 
given  it  has  never  been  able  to  recover  the  proportionate  power  then 
sacrificed.  The  heresy  hunter  had  only  been  lulled  into  a  temporary 
sleep. 

Mr.  McNemar,  in  the  spring  of  1802,  took  charge  of  Turtle 
Creek  church,  four  miles  west  of^Lebanon,  Ohio.  This  was  the  larg- 
est and  most  influential  church  in  Ohio,  with  the  probable  exception  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  in  Cincinnati.  The  people  were  cordially 
united,and  there  was  no  dissention  until  Mr.  Tichnor,one  of  the  elders 
began  to  object  to  the  doctrines  in  general.  It  was  believed  that  he 
was  inspired  in  this  by  his  particular    friend,    Rev.    James    Kemper. 


12 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


Without  ever  stating  a  single  objection  to  Mr.  McNemar,  in  private, 
Mr.  Tiehnor  gave  the  first  notice  of  his  disaffection  to  a  surrounding 
crowd  of  careless  men,  in  the  interval  of  public  worship.  He  also 
tried  to  poison  McNemar's  mind  against  some  of  the  leading  members 
of  the  congregation.  He  was  seriously  taken  to  task  by  the  session, 
and  advised  to  state  bis  objections  to  the  doctrine,  and  place  the  same 
regularly  before  Presbytery.  It  now  became  evident  that  he  had  no 
accurate  ideas  that  anything  erroneous  had  been  specifically  advanced. 

The  next  session  of  Presbytery  was  held  at  Cincinnati,  October 
6 — 9,  1802,  and,  although  no  petition  was  presented  yet  an  elder  in 
Mr.  Kemper's  congregation  at  Cincinnati,  arose  and  entered  a  verbal 
complaint  against  Mr.  McNemar,  as  a  propagator  of  false  doctrine ; 
and  desired  Presbytery  to  look  into  it.  Mr.  McNemar  insisted  that 
the  measure  was  out  of  order,  and  that  the  only  method  by  which 
<5harges  could  be  heard  was  by  reducing  the  same  to  writing.  Never- 
theless Presbytery  proceeded  to  what  it  called  examination  of  Mr.  Mc- 
Nemar, on  the  fundamantal  doctrines  of  the  Scripture,  but  in  reality 
it  was  an  inquisition.     The  following  action  was  taken : 

**Whereas  it  has  been  reported,  for  more  than  a  year  past,  that 
the  Rev.  Richard  McNemar  held  tenets  hostile  to  the  standards  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  subversive  of  the  fundamental  doctrines 
contained  in  the  sacred  Scriptures;  and  whereas  these  reports  have 
daily  become  more  clamorus,  notwithstanding  Mr.  McNemar  has  been 
warned  of  these  things  both  privately  and  more  publicly ;  both  by  pri- 
vate persons  and  the  members  of  Presbytery,  separately  and  jointly  ; 
therefore  the  Presbytery  have  thought  it  necessary  to  enter  in  to  a  more 
particular  and  close  examination  of  Mr.  McNemar,  on  the  doctrines  of 
particular  election,  human  depravity,  the  atonement  and  the  applica- 
tion of  it  to  the  sinner,  the  necessity  of  the  Divine  agency  in  this  ap- 
plication, and  the  nature  of  faith.  Upon  which  examination  had,  it  is 
the  opinion  of  this  Presbytery  that  Mr.  McNemar  holds  these  doctrines 
in  a  sense  specifically  and  essentially  different  from  that  sense 
in  which  Calvinists  generally  believe  them,  and  that  his 
ideas  on  these  subjects  are  strictly  Armenian,  though  clothed  in 
such  expressions  and  handed  out  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  keep  the 
body  of  the  p)30ple  in  the  dark,  and  lead  them  insensibly  into  Arme- 
nian principles,  which  are  dangerous  to  the  souls  of  men  and  hostile 
to  the  interests  of  all  true  religion."  **Ordered*  that  a  copy  of  this 
minute  be  forwarded  by  the  Stated  Clerk,  as  early  as  may  be,  to  th 
<}hurches  under  our  care." 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


1» 


This  minute  was  introduced  and  carried  on  the  last  day  of  the 
session.  The  moderator,  Mathew  G.  Wallace,  was  absent  on  account 
of  sickness,  and  Kemper  moved  an  adjourment  to  his  home,  for 
without  his  vote  the  minute  could  not  receive  a  majority.  As 
McNemar's  friends  were  unaware  of  the  intrigue,  the  plot  succeeded. 
When  the  object  was  manifested  McNemar  withdrew  from  the  house 
and  then  Kemper  brought  forward  a  written  copy  of  the  foregoing 
minute.  About  sunset  McNemar  returned,  and  after  the  minute  was 
read  to  him  he  declared  it  was  not  a  fair  statement  of  his  sentiments, 
and  expressed  his  desire  that  the  matter  might  be  referred  to  the 
Synod,  which  was  to  meet  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  on  the  ensuing 
week,  but  it  was  not  so  to  be. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  action  of  Presbytery  was  to  be  pub- 
lished  to  all  the  churches,  yet  the  extraordinary  procedure  was  taken 
that  although  McNemar's  teachings  were  ** hostile  to  the  interests  of 
all  true  religion,"  he  should  preach  one  half  of  his  time  at  Turtle- 
Creek,  two  Sundays  at  Orangedale,  two  at  Clear-creek  (just  south 
of  Franklin,  Ohio)  ;  two  at  Beulah  (Beavertown,  near  Dayton,  Ohio)  ^ 
one  at  the  forks  of  Mad  River  (Dayton),  and  the  rest  at  discretion. 

The  foregoing  minute  leaves  the  impression  that  the  members 
of  Presbytery  acted  justly;  but  McNemar  stated  that  it  was  other- 
wise, for  he  was  uniformly  treated  with  shyness,  and  .  the  principal 
warnings  he  had  received,  were  of  the  threatening  kind. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  at  Springfield  (Springdale) 
April  6-11,  1803,  a  petition  was  presented  praying  **the  examina- 
tion of  the  Rev.  Richard  McNemar,  on  the  fundamental  doctrines^ 
of  religion ;  or, on  what  the  petitioners  call  free  will  or  Armenian  doct- 
rines, and  also  that  the  Rev.  John  Thompson  undergo  the  like  exam- 
ination." 

It  is  but  justice  to  observe  that  the  names  on  this  petition 
took  in  an  extent  of  about  fifty  miles,  and  found  fourteen  subscribers^ 
acting  solely  as  individuals,  some  of  whom  had  never  heard  either 
McNemar  or  Thompson.     The  record  shows: 

*»The  petition  of  Wm.  Lamme,  John  McCabe,  John  Ewing, 
William  Waugh,  John  Steele,  Jonathan  Tichenor,  Andrew  Small, 
Fergus  McClane,  Francis  Dill,  John  Bone,  Jonathan  Whittaker, 
Daniel  Reeder,  James  Jones  and  James  Ewing,  from  the  congrega- 
tions of  Beulah,Turtle  Creek,Bethany  (three  miles  east  of  Lebanon,0.), 
Hopewell,  Duck  Creek,  and  Cincinnati,  was  taken  up,  and  Presbytery 
determined  that  it  was  improper  to  go  into  the    examination    of    Mr, 


14 


RICHAED  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


15 


McNemar  and  Mr.  Thompson  on  the    prayer   of    said  petitioners,    as 
being  out  of  order." 

Against  the  proceedings  of  Presbytery  two  of  the  clergy,  with 
one  of  their  elders,  entered  the  following  protest ; 

••Messrs.  James  Kemper,  M.  G.  Wallace  and  Stephen  Wheeler 
protest  against  the  proceeding  of  Presbytery,in  the  case  of  petition  of 
Wm.  Lamme  and  others,  praying  the  reexamination  of  Mr.  McNemar, 
and  also  the  examination  of  Mr.  Thompson, because  the  people  cannot 
be  deprived  of  the  right  of  proposing  to  Presbytery  for  discussing 
€uch  difficulties  respecting  the  doctrines  taught  them  as  cannot  be  set- 
tled by  the  session,  and  especially  because  Mr.  McNemar 's  principles, in 
particular,  now  stood  condemned  by  the  last  meeting  of  Presbytery 
as  Armenian.  The  above  named  members  also  protest  against  th 
proceedings  of  Presbytery  in  the  case  of  the  call  to  Mr.  McNemar, 
from  Turtle  Creek,  for  the  above  reasons,  and  especially,  because  the 
Presbytery  now  refuses  to  pay  any  attention  to  McNemar's  principles, 
or  doctrines,  notwithstanding  the  proceedings  had  at  the  last  meeting 
of  Presbytery,  as  they  appear  in  our  minutes." 

In  this  session  Revs.  Richard  McNemar,  John  Dunlavy  and 
John  Thompson  acted  in  unison. 

At  the  same  session  a  petition  from  Turtle  Creek,  signed  by 
sixty  persons  was  presented  requesting  the  whole  of  Mr.  McNemar's 
time.     The  same  was  granted. 

The  Synod  met  at  Lexington, in  Kentucky,  and  on  September  7, 
1803,  the  documents  relative  to  the  actions  of  Presbytery  at  Cincin- 
nati and  Springfield  were  acted  upon.  The  action  of  Presbytery  in 
condemning  McNemar,  at  its  session  at  Cincinnati  was  approved, 
and  the  action  at  Springfield  condemned.  When  the  Yeas  and  Nays 
were  called,  Robert  Marshall,  James  Welsh,  Barton  W.  Stone,  William 
Robinson,  clergymen,  voted  in  the  negative. 

This  action  of  the  Synod  was  the  final  cause  of  the  split  in  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  the  beginning  of  the  New  Light,  or  Christ- 
ian church  in  the  West.  At  Lexington,  September  10,  1803,  Robert 
Marshall,  John  Dunlavy,  R.  McNemar,  Barton  W.  Stone  and  John 
Thompson  formerly  withdrew,  and  organized  the  Presbytery  of 
Springfield.  Not  to  be  out  done  in  this  matter  Synod  **su8pended  them 
severally  from  the  office  of  the  ministry,  and  declared  their  pulpits  va- 
cant, and  referred  them  to  their  several  Presbyteries  to  be  restored  up- 
on repentance." 

In    the    writings    of    McNemar   I  have    not   found    the    least 


.1 


J 


trace  of  any  reference  to  his  trials  for  heresy,  nor  the  difficulties  he 
was  forced  to  encounter  owing  to  the  attempted  dissensions  thrown  in 
his  path.  Indeed  it  is  a  noticeable  feature,  in  his  public  writings, 
he  keeps  himself  almost  wholly  in  the  back-ground.  The  same  is 
true  in  such  of  his  MSS.  as  have  come  under  my  inspection. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    KENTUCKY    REVIVAL. 

Any  history  of  the  Kentucky  Revival  must  be  very  incomplete 
that  does  not  fully  identify  Richard  McNemar  as  the  principle  mover. 
Although  he  has  left  us  the  best  history  of  that  phenomenal  occurence 
yet  written,  one  would  not  suspect  from  what  he  has  recorded  that  he 
had  any  special  relation  to  it. 

It  is  not  necessary  here  to  enter  into  the  full  particulars  of  that 
religious  upheaval,  only  in  so  far  as  McNemar  is  concerned.  Even  the 
great  campmeetings  he  attended  can  only  be  inferred  from  his  narra- 
tive. The  movement  commenced-  under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  John 
Rankin  at  the  old  meeting  house,  Gasper  river,  five  miles  below  South 
Union,  Logan  county,  Kentucky,  and  gradually  spread  over  Kentucky, 
Ohio,  Tennessee,  and  even  as  far  east  as  Vermont.  The  revival  is 
more  noted  for  the  remarkable  physical  manifestations  attending  it 
than  for  anything  that  was  practically  effected.  However  strange  the 
attending  phenomena,  yet  on  account  of  it,  the  leaders  regarded  all  as 
the  special  work  of  God. 

The  physical  phenomena  accompanying  the  religious  services 
attracted  great  crowds,  in  so  much  so  that  the  forests  became  the  tem- 
ple of  worship.  This  was  the  origin  of  the  campmeeting,  and  as  the 
services  continued  several  days,  tents  were  resorted  to  for  protection. 
The  phenomena  have  thus  been  described : 

**The  bodily  agitations  or  exercises,  attending  the  excitement 
in  the  beginning  of  this  century,  were  various,  and  called  by  various 
names:  — as  the  falling  exercise — the  jerks — the  dancing  exercise — 
the  barking  exercise — the  laughing  and  singing  exercise,  etc. — The 
falling  exercise  was  very  common  among  all  classes,  the  saints  and 
sinners  of  every  age  and  of  every  grade,  from  the  philosopher  to  the 
clown.  The  subject  of  this  exercise  would,  generally,  with  a  piercing 
scream,  fall  like  a  log  on  the  floor,  earth,  or  mud,  and  appear  as  dead. 
*  *  *  1  have  seen  very  many  pious  persons  fall  in  the  same  way  from 


Hi 


16 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


17 


ii 


a  sense  of  the  danger  of  their  unconverted  children,  brothers,  or  sis- 
ters— from  a  sense  of  the  danger  of  their  neighbors,  and  of  the  sinful 
world.  I  have  heard  them  agonizing  in  tears  and  strong  men  crying 
for  mercy  to  be  shown  to  sinners,  and  speaking  like  angels  to  all 
around. 

**The  jerks  cannot  be  so  easily  decribed.  Sometimes  the  sub- 
ject of  the  jerks  would  be  affected  in  some  one  member  of  the  body, 
and  sometimes  in  the  whole  system.  When  the  head  alone  was  affect- 
ed it  would  be  jerked  backward  and  forward,  or  from  side  to  side,  so 
quickly  that  the  features  of  the  face  could  not  be  distinguished.  When 
the  whole  system  was  affected,  I  have  seen  the  person  stand  in  one 
place,  and  jerk  backward  and  forward  in  quick  succession,  their  heads 
nearly  touching  the  floor  behind  and  before.  All  classes,  saints  and 
sinners,  the  strong  as  well  as  the  weak  were  thus  affected.  I  have  in- 
quired of  those  thus  affected.  They  cannot  account  for  it;  but  some 
have  told  me  that  those  were  among  the  happiest  seasons  of  their  lives. 
I  have  seen  some  wicked  persons  thus  affected  and  all  the  time  curs- 
ing the  jerks,  while  they  were  thrown  to  earth  with  violence.  Though 
so  awful  to  behold,  I  do  not  remember  that  any  one  of  the  thousands 
I  have  seen  ever  sustained  an  injury  in  body.  This  was  as  strange  as 
the  exercise  itself. 

**The  dancing  exercise.  This  generally  began  with  jerks,  and 
was  peculiar  to  professors  of  religion.  The  subject,  after  jerking  awhile, 
began  to  dance,  and  then  the  jerks  would  cease.  Such  dancing  was  in- 
deed heavenly  to  the  spectators ;  there  was  nothing  in  it  like  levity, 
nor  calculated  to  excite  levity  in  the  beholders.  The  saints  of  heaven 
shown  on  the  countenace  of  the  subject,  and  assimilated  to  angels  ap- 
peared the  whole  person.  Sometimes  the  motion  was  quick  and  some- 
times slow.  Thus  they  continued  to  move  forward  and  backward  in  the 
same  track  or  alley  till  nature  seemed  exhausted,  and  they  would  fall 
prostrate  on  the  floor  or  earth,  unless  caught  by  those  standing  by. 
While  thus  exercised,  I  have  heard  their  solemn  praises  and  prayers 
ascending  to  God. 

'*The  barking  exercise  (as  opponents  contemptuouly  called  it), 
was  nothing  but  the  jerks.  A  person  affected  with  the  jerks,  especially 
in  the  head,  would  often  make  a  grunt,  or  bark,  if  you  please,  from 
the  suddenness  of  the  jerk.  This  name  of  barking  seems  to  have  its 
origin  from  an  old  Presbyterian  preacher  of  East  Tennessee.  He  had 
gone  into  the  woods  for  private  devotion,  and  was  seized  by  the  jerks. 
Standing  near  a  sapling,  he  caught  hold  of  it,  to  prevent    his    falling, 


and  as  his  head  jerked  back,  he  uttered  a  grunt  or  kind  of  noise  sim- 
ilar to  a  bark,  his  face  being  turned  upwards.  Some  wag  discovered 
him  in  this  position,  and  reported  that  he  found  him  barking  up  a 
tree. 

**The  laughing  exercise  was  frequent,  confined  solely  with  the  re- 
ligious. It  was  a  loud,  hearty  laughter,  but  one  sui  generis  \  it  excited 
laughter  in  none  else.  The  subject  appeared  rapturously  solemn,  and 
his  thoughts  excited  solemnity  in  saint  and  sinners.  It  is  truly  inde- 
scribable. 

'*The  running  exercise  was  nothing  more  than,  that  persons 
feeling  something  of  these  bodily  agitations,  through  fear,  attempted 
to  run  away,  and  thus  escape  from  them ;  but  it  commonly  happened 
that  they  ran  not  far,  before  they  fell,  or  became  so  greatly  agitated 
that  they  could  proceed  no  farther.  *  *  * 

"I  shall  close  this  chapter  with  the  singing  exercise.  This  is 
more  unaccountable  than  anything  else  I  ever  saw.  The  subject  in  a 
very  happy  state  of  mind  would  sing  most  melodiously,  not  from  the 
mouth  or  nose,  but  entirely  in  the  breast,  the  sounds  issuing  thence. 
Such  music  silenced  everything,  and  attracted  the  attention  of  all.  It 
was  most  heavenly.  None  could  ever  be  tired  of  hearing  it." 

Another  writer  has  described  **The  rolling  exercise:" 

**Thi8  consisted  of  being  cast  down  in  a  violent  manner,  doubled 
with  the  head  and  feet  together,  and  rolled  over  and  over  like  a  wheel, 
or  stretched  in  a  prostrate  manner,  turned  swiftly  over  and  over  like  a 
log.  This  was  considered  very  debasing  and  mortifying,  especially  if 
the  person  was  taken  in  this  manner  through  the  mud  and  sullied 
therewith  from  head  to  foot." 

The  date  of  the  beginning  of  these  scenes  was  during  the 
month  of  August  1799  and  grew  in  intensity  for  several  years, and  to  a 
certain  extent  endured  for  a  period  of  thirty  or  more  years.  It  has 
been  pointed  out  that  * 'where  these  exercises  were  encouraged,  and  re- 
garded as  tokens  of  the  divine,  presence  there  they  greatly  prevailed. 
But  when  they  were  looked  upon  as  manifestations  of  enthusiam,  and 
fanaticism  and  therefore  opposed,  they  did  not  prevail."  It  was  then 
due  to  a  hypnotic  influence.  The  effect  produced  was  due  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  preaching  and  singing.  Davidson,  in  his  * 'History  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  Kentucky,"  in  speaking  of  the  character  of 
the  preaching  says : 

"The  style  of  the  discourses  varied  according  to  the  various 
dispositions  of  the  speakers.  It  is   impossible  to  find   any   particular 


18 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


standard  to  which  all  the  phenomena  can  be  reduced.  Some  spoke  in  a 
plain,  solemn,  instructive  way ;  some  in  a  highly  decorated  style :  and 
others,  in  a  desultory,  incoherent,  but  kindly  manner.  There  was  one 
class  who  delighted  in  alarming  the  conscience  with  victories  of  terror, 
and  launched  the  thunders  of  Sinai  with  inspiring  hand.  Of  this  sort 
were  McGready,  Rannels,  Marshall,  Houston,  and  McNemar.  McNe- 
mar  was  desultory,  but  interspersed  many  good  remarks.  He  was  very 
animated  and  impressive  and  exerted  all  his  powers,  both  in  preach- 
ing and  singing.  He  would  stamp  with  his  foot,  and  slap  the  Bible,and 
roar  *Hell  and  Damnation!'  with  aloud  voice.  But  I  cannot  find  that 
this  style  of  preaching  was  the  most  effective.  It  was  such  sermons  as 
were  delivered  with  tenderness  and  tears,  that  elicited  the  deepest 
emotions  among  the  audience.  The  greater  the  pathos  of  the  speaker, 
the  greater  was  the  ebullition  of  feeling ;  and  copious  floods  of  tears 
weakened  and  prostrated  the  corporeal  organization  to  such  a  degree, 
as  to  prepare  it  for  operations  beyond  the  ordinary  control  of  the  will." 

Small  children  were  drawn  into  the  vortex,  some  of  whom  became 
noted  as  effective  speakers.  Among  these  was  Vincy,  daughter  of 
Richard  McNemar.  Her  father  held  her  on  his  arm,  and  sometimes 
on  his  shoulder,  while  she  addressed  the  multitude.  As  she  was  born 
in  1797,  she  could  not  have  exceeded  the  age  of  six  at  the  time  of  her 
advent  as  a  public  speaker. 

The  power  of  song  is  proverbial.  Among  the  popular  songs 
was  that  written  in  1801  by  Richard  McNemar,  and  entitled  "A  Pure 
Church  Anticipated:" 

*  *The  glorious  day,  is  drawing  nigh. 

When  Zion's  light  shall  come; 
She  shall  arise  and  shine  on  high. 

Bright  as  the  morning  sun. 
The  north  and  south  their  sons  resign. 

And  eartk's  foundation  bend; 
Adorn'd  as  a  bride  Jerusalem, 

All  glorious  shall  descend. 

**The  king  who  wears  the  glorious  crown. 

The  azure  flaming  bow. 
The  Holy  City  shall  bring  down. 

To  bless  the  saints  below : 
Descending  with  such  melting  strains, 

Jehovah's  name  adore ; 
Such  shouts  thro  earth's  extensive  plains. 

Were  never  heard  before. 


RICHARD  McNEMAR  19 

**Let  Satan  rage  and  boast  no  more. 

Nor  think  his  reign  is  long ; 
The  saints  tho  feeble,  weak  and  poor. 

Their  great  Redeemer's  strong; 
In  storms  he  is  a  hiding  place — 

A  covert  from  the  wind, 
As  a  stream  from  the  rock  in  the  wilderness, 

Flows  through  the  weary  land, 

**The  crystal  stream  comes  down  from  heav'n, 

It  issues  from  the  throne; 
The  floods  of  strife  away  are  driv'n — 

The  Church  becomes  but  one; 
That  peaceful  union  they  shall  know. 

And  live  upon  his  love. 
And  shout  and  sing  His  praise  below. 

As  angels  do  above." 

The  campmeetings  began  where  the  excitement  originated.  On 
the  edge  of  a  prairie  the  multitudes  came  together  and  encamped  on 
the  ground  for  several  nights  and  days.  Various  Presbyterian  minis- 
ters were  drawn  to  the  spot,  and  the  enthusiasm  there  instituted  was 
carried  home  and  diffused  to  their  congregations.  The  revival  became 
a  veritable  contagion.  By  January  30,  1801,  it  had  reached  Nashville, 
Knoxville,  and  other  places  in  Tennessee. 

The  first  campmeeting  of  note  began  at  Cabin  Creek,  Mason 
county,  Kentucky,  May  22,  1801,  under  the  direction  of  Richard  Mc- 
Nemar, and  continued  four  days  and  three  nights.  The  next  was  at 
Concord,  in  Bourbon  county,  in  May  and  June,  same  year,  conducted 
by  Barton  W.  Stone.  There  were  present  seven  Presbyterian  clergy- 
men with  a  multitude  reckoned  at  4,000.  The  next  at  Eagle  Creek, 
Adams  county,  Ohio,  under  John  Dunlavy,  commencing  June  5,  and 
continuing  four  days  and  three  nights.  Following  this  was  one  at 
Pleasant  Plain,  Kentucky,  which,  equalled,  or  even  surpassed  any  that 
had  heretofore  been  held.  The  meeting  at  Indian  Creek,  Harrison 
county,  began  July  2tl:th,  and  continued  nearly  a  week.  Next  came 
the  great  meeting  at  Cane  Ridge,  seven  miles  from  Paris,  beginning 
August  6th.  The  number  of  people  on  the  ground  at  one  time  was 
supposed  to  have  numbered  20,000.  The  encampment  consisted  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty-five  wheel-carriages,  and  tents  proportioned  to 
the  people.  Rev.  James  Crawford,  who  kept  as  accurate  account  as 
he  could,  computed  there  were  3,000  that  fell  on  that  occasion,  or  an 
average  of  500  a  day. 


20 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


About  the  middle  of  June,  1803,  a  campmeeting  was  held  near 
Beavertown,  some  five  miles  from  Dayton,  Ohio.  This  was  during  the 
time  when  the  breach  began  to  widen  in  the  Presbyterian  church.  Both 
factions  were  in  attendance  at  Beavertown.  The  only  account  of  this 
meeting  I  have  seen  is  in  the  handwriting  of  Richard  McNemar. 

*  *At  this  meeting  Robert  Marshall,  from  Kentucky,  with  James 
Kemper,  Richard  McNemar  and  John  Thompson  attended.  The  most 
memorable  circumstance  that  is  noted  of  this  occasion  was,  that  the 
people  were  divided,  part  held  with  Kemper,  a  sober  and  rigid  Calvin- 
ist,  but  the  principal  part  with  the  other  three.  It  is  particularly 
recollected  that  on  Saturday  Mr.  Kemper  preached  from  Isa.  22:23^ 
making  presdestination  the  nail  in  a  sure  place.  On  Sabbath 
morning  Marshall  followed  and  literally  fulfilled  the  context,  verse  25, 
for  in  that  day  was  the  nail  fastened  in  the  sure  place  removed,  cut 
down  and  fell,  and  the  burden  that  was  upon  it  was  cut  off.  The 
contest  grew  so  warm  and  the  exercises  so  powerful  that  in  the  after- 
noon Kemper  and  his  company  withdrew  from  the  meeting  and  re- 
treated homeward.  The  effect  of  this  meeting  served  to  excite  a  spirit 
of  free  inquiry  on  the  doctrinal  points  of  difference,  which  ultimately 
prepared  the  congregation  as  a  body  for  the  approaching  event  which 
was  a  separation  from  the  government  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
which  took  place  in  the  month  of  September  following." 

This  campmeeting  was  followed  by  another,  in  the  same  vicin- 
ity, during  the  last  of  July  1804,  under  the  direct  control  of  the  New 
Lights  with  Richard  McNemar  as  the  leading  spirit. 

*'At  this  meeting  the  work  was  powerful,  the  gifts  and  exer- 
cises singular,  and  the  light  transcendent.  The  jerking  and  barking  ex- 
ercises were  astounding,  and  the  effects  of  a  sermon  preached  by  Mc- 
Nemar from  Zech.  11:7  to  14,  are  well  remembered.  The  breaking 
the  two  stones  (the  creed  and  form  of  government)  excited  the  most 
unbounded  enthusiasm. — The  breaking  to  pieces  a  beautiful  system 
and  a  beautiful  order  of  government  on  which  millions  were  resting  for 
support  was  so  emphatically  announced  and  so  rhetorically  pictured 
that  it  seemed  as  if  the  old  heavens  were  already  passing  away  with  a 
great  noise  and  the  elements  melting  with  fervent  heat.*' 

The  split  in  the  Synod  at  Lexington  which  resulted  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  New  Light  church,  swept  every  Presbyterian  church 
in  Ohio  into  the  new  fold,  except  Cincinnati,  Round  Bottom  and  Duck 
creek.  Even  these  had  been  visibly  affected.  The  preachers  carried 
their  congregations  with  them.     The  Presbyterians  called  the  with- 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


21 


drawing  brethren  schismatics,  but  John  Thompson,  in  1804,  gave  to 
the  new  order  of  things,  the  name  New  Lights.  This  was  afterwards 
repudiated  by  the  sect,  who  claimed  for  themselves  the  title  of  Chris- 
tian. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

CONVERSION    AND   NEW    ORDER. 

The  spring  of  1805  found  Richard  McNemar  residing  at  Turtle 
Creek,  (now  Union  Village), Ohio, in  a  hewed  double-logged  cabin, on  his 
own  farm,  surrounded  by  his  family.  The  wife,  Jenny,  an  intelligent, 
capable,  amiable  woman,  was  born  in  Rowan  County,  North  Carolina, 
a  sister  of  Judge  Francis  and  Rev.  John  Dunlavy.  To  this  union  were 
born  Benjamin,    James,  Vincy,  Elisha,  Nancy,  Betsy  and  Richard. 

The  Turtle  Creek  Presbyterian  Church  had  followed  Richard 
into  the  New  Light  fold.  Over  this  congregation  he  presided  without 
a  dissenting  voice.  It  was  the  largest  and  most  influential  of  all  the 
western  churches  of  its  order.  Before  Richard  there  appeared  to  be 
every  prospect  of  a  bright  future.  His  courage  and  energy  had  not 
abated,  and  like  a  faithful  warrior  was  ever  ready  to  do  battle.  A 
campmeeting  had  been  appointed  to  be  held  at  Turtle  Creek  on  April 
28,  1805,  under  the  direct  care  of  Richard  McNemar,  which  was  widely 
advertised.  Before  that  event  Richard  was  destined  to  undergo  a  rad- 
ical change  both  in  his  views  and  social  relations.  If  his  pathway  had 
been  thorny  he  was  now  devoted  to  undergo  vicissitudes, hardships  and 
persecutions  he  little  dreamed  of. 

There  arrived  at  Turtle  Creek,  March  22,  1805,  three  men  pre- 
possessing in  appearance,  grave  and  unassuming  in  their  manners,  very 
intelligent,  and  ready  in  the  Scriptures,  and  withal  possessed  of  great 
boldness  in  their  faith. 

**Their  dress  was  plain  and  neat,  perfectly  uniform  and  quite 
old  -fashioned — white  fur  hats,  crown  fi.yQ  inches  deep,  rim  five  and  a 
half  wide,  grey  coats,  blue  waist-coats  and  overalls  of  a  beautiful 
brown, — their  walk  and  general  carriage  sprightly,  yet  majestically 
grave,  and  their  affability  in  conversation  banished  every  idea  of  sup- 
erstition or  sly  deceit." 

They  came  from  Mt.  Lebanon,  N.  Y.,  having  traversed  on  foot 
a  distance  of  1233  miles.  They  were  Issachar  Bates,  Benjamin  S. 
Youngs  and  John  Meacham.  Their  mission  was  to  establish  Shakerism 
in  the  West.     They  came  direct  to  the  house  of  Malcolm  Worley,   an 


22 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


23 


opulent,  influential  man,  who  had  been  prominent  in  religious  work. 
He  received  the  trio,  and  on  the  27th,  formally  accepted  the  message 
of  the  Shakers. 

The  three  men  knew  that  if  they  should  meet  with  success  they 
must  convert  men  of  prominence.  Hence  they  turned  to  Richard  Me- 
Nemar.  On  the  23rd  they  visited  him  in  his  home.  They  readily  de- 
tected that  he  was  an  unbiased  man,  and  had  fully  imbibed  the  idea 
that  the  Bible  alone  should  be  the  resort  for  religious  instruction.  He 
observed  that  he  had  never  undertaken  to  build  a  church  and  if  they 
had  come  with  that  intention  he  would  not  staDdin  the  way,  but  would 
go  to  the  Gentiles.  He  probably  had  imbibed  the  prevalent  idea  that 
during  that  year  Christ  would  make  his  visible  second  appearance. 
They  gained  the  impression  from  the  conversation  that  his  mind  was 
fruitful  soil  for  their  opinions,  and  began  in  earnest  to  convert  him. 
From  time  to  time  they  held  meetings  together.  During  one  of  these 
conferences,  Richard's  son,  James,  burst  into  the  room  and  into  his 
father's  arms,  in  a  screaming  fit.  This  James  was  sorely  afflicted. 
While  yet  in  his  dresses,  his  mother  missed  him  and  started  out  in 
search  of  her  boy.  She  found  him  in  close  proximity  to  a  black  snake, 
the  serpent  with  its  head  raised  and  staring  the  boy  in  the  face.  With 
a  piercing  scream  she  seized  the  child  and  ran  to  the  house,  believing 
the  serpent  was  close  at  her  heels.  Almost  fainting  she  burst  into  the 
door.  From  that  day  forward  James  was  subjected  to  screaming  fits, 
which  gradually  grew  worse.  Everything  known  was  done  for  him, 
but  >vithout  relief.  The  only  way  he  could  be  pacified  was  by  the 
parent  seizing  him  tightly  and  pressing  him  to  the  bosom.  In 
time  the  boy  came  to  learn  when  the  attack  was  coming  on.  He  would 
then  run  to  his  parent,  and  was  held  until  the  fit  passed  away.  Mc- 
Nemar,  holding  his  child  tightly  in  his  arms,  said  to  the  missionaries, 
**If  you  will  cure  my  child  of  his  malady  I  will  believe  your  doctrines.'* 
This  was  a  test  not  anticipated.  They  did  not  profess  to  be  workers 
of  miracles,  and  for  the  time  being  uttered  no  reply.  When  the  silence 
had  become  oppressive,  the  wife,  Jenny,  arose  and  said  "Let  us  pray." 
When  the  prayer  was  ended,  it  was  found  that  James  was  gone.  Search 
being  instituted  he  was  discovered  in  the  yard  playing.  That  was  the 
last  attack  he  ever  experienced. 

A  few  days  later  as  Richard  was  walking  in  his  meadow  he 
saw  the  nude  arm  of  a  woman  reach  out  from  heaven  toward  him. 
Looking  at  it  intently  he  exclaimed  **I  will  follow  thee  ever." 

United  with  Turtle  Creek  were  the  congregations  of  Salem,    and 


Orangedale.  March  31st  the  preaching  was  at  Salem,  where  many  in- 
quiries were  made  concerning  the  strangers,  all  of  which  were  answered 
in  the  sermon,  taken  from  Luke  XIV.  17.  The  discourse  created  the 
first  suspicion  that  McNemar  felt  union  with  the  visitors.  Daniel  Doty, 
James  McClure  and  others  took  offence,  and  caviled  at  the  new  idea ; 
while  Samuel  Rollins,  James  West  and  others  desired  to  hear  more  on 
the  subject. 

The  following  Sunday,  April  7th,  the  services  were  held  at 
Turtle  Creek,  and  the  sermon  was  based  on  Titus  II .  11,  with  a  strong 
Shaker  leaning.  At  this  time  individuals  and  whole  families  began  to 
look  with  favor  upon  Shaker  doctrines.  Visitors  from  different  places 
began  to  call  upon  McNemar  among  whom  were  John  Thompson  and 
Peter  Smith,  preachers  of  the  New  Lights,  who  tried  to  entangle  him, 
but  without  avail. 

April  21st  the  meeting  was  held  at  Calvin  Morrell's,  who  lived 
on  the  great  prairie,  ten  miles  west  of  the  Turtle  Creek  meeting  house, 
and  about  the  center  of  the  Orangedale  society.  Services  were  held  in 
the  woods,  with  Bates  and  Youngs  in  attendance.  The  assemblage 
was  large.  The  text  was  Math.  XI.  3.  Richard,  "observing,  that  if 
they  were  good  men  we  should  profit  by  their  fellowship ;  but  if  they 
were  bad  men  they  would  not  incline  to  tarry  among  us."  Bates  spoke 
for  himself  at  the  close  of  the  discourse,  which  increased  the  faith  of 
some  and  brooked  opposition  in  others. 

The  general  campmeeting  appointed  at  Turtle  Creek  for  April 
28,  as  usual  began  on  Friday,  the  26th.  Much  depended  on  McNemar 
as  regarded  the  order  of  the  meeting,  and  the  rights  and  privileges  of 
the  Shakers  ;  **therefore  in  order  that  he  might  be  the  better  prepared 
to  do  his  duty  on  the  occasion,  it  was  thought  proper  that  he  should 
previously  oonfess  his  sins,  which  was  done  on  Wednesday,  April 
24th." 

**Great  were  the  expectations  of  all  for  the  events  of  that  meet- 
ing, as  that  year  had  been  marked  out,  by  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  as 
pregnant  with  the  final  results  of  the  past  and  present  work ;  which 
according  to  the  prevailing  sense,  could  be  nothing  short  of  the  descent 
of  the  Holy  City  from  God  out  of  Heaven,  and  the  beginning  of  the 
reign  of  Christ  on  earth." 

A  vast  multitude  assembled ;  but  the  chief  topic  of  conversa- 
tion was  the  advent  of  Shak^ers  and  their  proclamation  that  Christ 
had  already  made  his  appearance.  It  proved  to  be  the  last  of  the  great 
revival  campmeetings,  for  the  shock  there  felt  was  almost  a  death  blow 


24 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


to  the  general  interest  that  had  prevailed.  As  Turtle  Creek  was  con- 
sidered the  first  and  foremost  of  all  societies,  it  was  respected  as  a  safe 
example  in  all  matters  of  faith  and  practice. 

The  first  to  take  alarm  at  the  advent  of  the  Shakers  was 
John  Thompson,  in  charge  of  the  Springdale  congregation.  He  was 
indefatigable,  and  succeeded  in  saving  the  New  Lights,  in  the  West, 
from  utter  ruin.  He  deserted  the  cause  five  years  later  by  turn- 
ing a  back  somersault  into  the  Presbyterian  fold.  Thompson  was  on 
hand  at  the  Turtlecreek  campmeeting  and  created  a  stormy  scene. 
Issachar  Bates  who  was  present  thus  describes  the  tumult ; 

**A  great  body  of  blazing  hot  Newlights,  with  John  Thompson 
at  their  head  determined  to  break  down  all  before  them.  Thompson 
mounted  the  stand  and  began  his  preachment,  and  undertook  to  show 
how  they  had  been  imposed  on  by  deceivers,  and  how  he  had  borne 
with  one  Worley,  and  how  these  Eastern  men  had  come  to  tell  us  that 
Christ  had  made  his  second  appearance  (pause)  ;  but  they  are  liars, 
they  are  liars,  they  are  liars.  I  will  venture  to  say  that  the  tumult  at 
Ephesus  was  no  greater  than  at  this  place.  For  about  an  hour  it  was 
one  steady  cry  of  glory  to  Jesus,  glory  to  Jesus,  glory  to  Jesus,  and 
almost  every  other  noise.  The  cause  of  their  giving  glory  to  Jesus 
must  have  been  that  these  poor  suffering  witnesses  were  proved  to  be 
liars.  I  stood  on  a  log  hard  by  alone,  for  I  had  been  ordered  back  to 
hell  from  whence  I  came,  and  called  all  the  bad  names  that  they  could 
think  of.  After  the  noise  had  begun  to  cease  I  stepped  off  the  log  and 
passed  through  the  multitude,  and  as  I  passed  they  cried  out,  *'See 
how  his  conscience  is  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron.  He  does  not  regard  it 
at  all.'" 

**A  wicked  man  followed  John  Meacham  from  place  to  place, 
spitting  in  his  face,  and  crying  aloud  to  make  a  great  fire,  and  burn 
these  false  prophets  ;  some  of  the  foremost,  who  professed  the  worthy 
name,  Christ-ian,  were  at  his  back,  laughing  and  encouraging  him 
on.'* 

Richard  McNemar  gives  this  account  of  the  affair : 
**Thompson  was  arraying  his  forces  for  battle,  and  at  an  early 
period  Friday  took  the  ground,  and  began  the  exercise,  preparing  to 
give  the  Believers  a  warmer  reception,  as  soon  as  they  appeared,  and 
made  themselves  masters  of  the  encampment.  But  great  was  their  dis- 
appointment when  Richard  entered  the  assembly,  calmly  met  the  out- 
cry of  the  multitude  and  the  roaring  accusations  of  his  colleague,  and 
finally,    called  to   order,  at  the  same  time  announcing  his  right  on  the 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


25 


ground  and  his  determination  to  superintend  the  meeting  and  admin- 
ister the  sacrament  as  usual.  This  was  done  and  the  meeting  conducted 
according  to  circumstances.  John  preached  on  Friday,  pointedly 
against  the  testimony,  which  was  followed  with  great  shout  and  much 
glorying  in  the  flesh.  Saturday  it  came  Richards  turn.  The  next  was 
Oal.  VI.  14.  Sabbath,  the  feast  (which  was  called  the  passover)  was 
celebrated;  and  Monday  the  closing  address  was  delivered  to  the  Be- 
lievers from  II.  Sam.  X.  12.  During  the  sermon  most  of  the  opposition 
party  fled,  railing  as  they  went,  and  so  left  the  despised  few,  with  in- 
creasing confidence,  to  pursue  unmolested,  the  peaceful  lesson  of  their 
way." 

The  next  campmeeting  was  held  the  second  Sunday  in  May  at 
Salem,  where  most  of  the  Shakers  were  in  attendance.  *'But  such  was 
the  growing  spirit  of  animosity,  enmity  and  abuse,  that  this  meeting 
resulted  in  a  final  separation." 

The  first  regular  meeting  of  the  Shakers  was  held  at  the  house 
of  David  Hill,  who  lived  on  the  ministerial  reserve,  on  May  23,  1805. 
It  was  opened  by  John  Meacham  with  an  explanatory  address  relating 
to  the  manners,  customs  and  economy  of  the  Shakers.  Then  Issachar 
Bates  pitched  up  a  step  song  and  John  Meacham  and  Benjamim  S. 
Youngs  began  the  dance,  in  which  the  new  Believers  united  in  some 
way,  so  that  a  variety  of  exercises  were  exhibited.  The  turning  exer- 
cise was  performed  in  a  very  striking  manner  by  Polly  Kimbel.  The 
society  then  formed  began  with  one  ordained  minister,  two  ordained 
elders,  two  licensed  exhorters,  two  physicians,  with  about  thirty  other 
respectable  persons.  Meetings  became  public  and  stated;  and,  for  a 
time  the  old  meeting  house  was  used,  '*  where  they  preached,  and  sang, 
danced  and  shouted  till  the  opposing  party  withdrew  and  left  us  in 
peaceable  possession." 

The  conversion  of  Richard  was  soon  followed  by  his  wife,  .Jenny. 
All  their  children  died  at  Union  Village,  except  the  youngest  son, 
Richard,  the  only  one  who  left  the  Shakers.  James  and  Vincy  became 
quite  prominent,  the  former  dying  in  1875  and  the  latter  in  1878.  With 
the  exception  of  her  nose,  Vincy  resembled  very  much  her  father. 

The  Shakers  and  their  converts  now  became  exceedingly  active 
in  the  promulgation  of  their  tenets,  and  followed  in  the  wake  of  the 
revival  meetings.  Church  after  church  tumbled  into  their  laps,  and 
many  prominent  men  were  converted  among  whom  were  John  Dunlavy, 
John  Rankin  and  Mathew  Houston.  Permanent  communities  were 
rapidly  formed  at  Turtle  Creek,  Beavertown  in  Ohio,  South  Union  and 


26 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


Pleasant  Hill  in  Kentucky.    The   Turtle   Creek  congregation  followed 
McNemar  almost  bodily  into  the  Shaker  order. 

The  people  united  their  worldly  possessions  into  one.  Their  in- 
terests were  in  common.  The  farm  of  Richard  McNemar,  which  he 
had  purchased  in  1802,  formed  the  highest  table  land  in  the  village, 
and  upon  it  was  located  the  East  Family,  with  Mathew  Houston  as 
elder,  and  by  his  choice  was  made  the  Gathering  Order.  A  Family 
continued  there  until  1836,  when  its  members  were  scattered  among 
the  other   villages. 

CHAPTER  V. 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  LABORS  AND  SUFFERINGS. 

The  period  that  Richard  McNemar  became  a  Shaker  was  when 
Ohio  had  been  a  state  but  two  years,  and  when  facilities  for  travel 
were  in  their  infancy.  The  roadways  for  the  most  part  were  trails, 
and  bridges  but  few  in  number.  In  the  year  1800  Ohio  had  a  population 
of  about  45,000  whites,  while  Cincinnati  contained  only  500.  In  1800 
Kentucky's  population  was  220,959,  and  406,511  in  1810.  When  con- 
sidered with  the  present  number  of  inhabitants  these  states  were  but 
sparsely  settled.  The  country  for  the  most  part  was  a  forest  with  in- 
numerable swamps,  and  during  the  winter  and  spring  travel  was  a 
great  undertaking.  The  labors  of  the  early  Shaker  missionaries 
were  then  nearly  in  the  wilderness.  To  establish  a  new  order  of  church 
relationship  under  the  greatest  of  difficulties  must  require  sacrifice, 
fortitude  and  intelligence  as  well  as  zeal. 

It  must  be  regarded  as  fortunate  that  David  Darrow  was  placed 
at  the  head  of  affairs.  He  had  been  a  lieutenant  during  the  American 
Revolution ;  was  converted  to  Shakerism  towards  the  close  of  the  war, 
and  gave  his  lands — now  possessed  by  the  North  Family,Mt.  Lebanon, 
N.  Y. — to  the  cause  he  espoused.  He  arrived  at  Union  Village  June  29th, 
1805,  immediately  assumed  full  charge  of  affairs,  and  so  continued 
»  tintil  his  death,  in  1825.  During  the  entire  period  of  his  administra- 
tion the  chief  adviser  was  McNemar,  who  was  among  the  foremost  in 
missionary  work  and  establishing  the  various  communities  in  the 
West.  Where  there  was  a  difficulty,  legal,  or  otherwise,  Richard  Mc- 
Nemar was  deputed  to  manage  it.  He  never  hesitated,  and  almost  in- 
variably succeeded  in  his  undertaking.  He  even  became  known  as 
**the  lion  hearted,"  so  fearless  was  he  in  what  he  believed  to   be  right. 

Many  were  the  missionary  journeys  he  undertook  through  suff- 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


27 


erings  and  privations.  Perhaps  the  worst  was  that  described  by  Ben- 
jamin S.  Youngs,  of  a  trip  to  the  Wabash,  in  Knox  County,  Ind.,  when 
both  Issachar  Bates  and  Richard  froze  their  feet.  This  journey  was 
accomplished  on  foot.  On  Jan.  18th,  1809,  Richard  McNemar,  Issachar 
Bates  and  Benjamin  S.  Youngs  started  from  Union  Village, with  knap- 
sacks on  their  backs,  directing  their  course  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ken- 
tucky river,  encountering  both  rain  and  ice.  At  night  they  rested  on 
such  timber  as  they  were  able  to  secure.  On  the  trail  to  the  Vincen- 
nes  road,  they  were  forced  to  cut  their  way  for  ten  miles  without 
any  path.  Before  reaching  the  White  river  they  were  obliged  to  wade 
a  stream  with  the  water  up  to  their  thighs,  and  through  a  rain  slept 
on  a  bed  of  brush.  On  the  22nd  the  rain  turned  to  snow,  and  at  night 
they  made  a  camp  of  poles.  The  next  morning  they  faced  a  keen  air. 
Reaching  the  White  river  they  found  the  back  water  covered  with  a  thin 
ice.  Issachar  tied  poles  to  his  feet  in  order  to  cross  over,  but  broke 
through.  They  now  encamped  until  the  ice  would  bear  them  up.  By  the 
24th  provisions  ran  short,  but  were  saved  from  hunger  by  finding  a  part 
of  a  turkey  at  the  opening  of  a  fox's  den.  On  the  25th  the  ice  bore  them 
up,  and  after  reaching  the  river  made  a  raft.  Reaching  the  other  side 
they  passed  over  five  miles  of  cracking  ice,  with  the  snow  from  five  to 
six  inches  in  depth.  For  drink  they  used  melted  snow,  and  for  a  bed 
brushes  placed  on  the  snow.  The  morning  of  the  26th  was  very  cold, 
starting  early  they  soon  reached  the  Knobs,  and  finding  they  were 
clear  of  waters  they  were  so  overjoyed  that  they  sang  and  danced  on  the 
first  knob ;  but  during  the  dav  came  to  another  stream  where  there 
was  ice  and  snow  for  three  miles.  The  27th  they  met  snow  and  cold, and 
over  hill  and  dale  travelled  33  miles.  On  the  29th  they  nearly  perished 
with  cold  and  were  greatly  exhausted,but  were  relieved  by  a  squatter 
whose  wife  gave  them  bear  meat,venison,cornbread  and  coffee.  Crossed 
the  Wabash  on  the  30th,  and  after  struggling  through  the  water  and  ice 
for  one  mile  and  a  half  they  came  upon  a  camp  of  Miami  Indians, 
where  they  partly  dried  their  clothes.  After  sixteen  days  of  perilous 
travelling  they  reached  the  house  of  Robert  Gill,  and  there  had  their 
frozen  feet  poulticed.  In  that  region  (Busro  or  West  Union,  Knox  Co., 
Ind.)  they  remained,  preaching  and  proselyting  until  April  31st,  when 
they  started  on  their  return.  The  whole  distance  travelled  was  235 
miles  each  way. 

The  itinerary  shows  Richard  to  have  been  exceedingly  busy  dur- 
ing the  planting  of  Shakerism.  I  find  records  showing  that  he  was 
influential  in  establishing  all  the  various  communities,  and  in  convert- 


^8 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


29^ 


ing  those  with  whom  he  had  formerly  associated.  It  would  be  impossi- 
l)le,  and  even  not  necessary,  to  make   a  record   of  all   his  missionary 
journeys.    It  is   recorded  that   on  June  22nd,  1805,  in  company  with 
Youngs  and  Malcolm  Worley  he  visited  Beaver  Creek  and  remained  un- 
til  tne  24th.  On  March  22nd,  1806,  he  was  again  at  the  same  place  at- 
tended by  Bates  and  Youngs.  There  was  preaching  in  private  houses, 
and  converts  reported.  While  on  this  visit,  John   Thompson  put  in  an 
appearance,  and  in  a  discourse  proclaimed  that  the  Shakers  were  * 'rav- 
ing wolves  in  sheep's  clothing.''  On  July  8th,  in    company  with  Bates 
and  Daniel  Mosely,  another  trip  was  made  to  Beaver  Creek,  where  the 
trio  tarried  until  the  14th.  On  April  26th,  1806, the  society  was  formally 
recognized  by  going**forth  to  worship  in  the  dance,  "and  the  following 
year  the  number  of  Believers  was  increased  to  thirty-three. 

Eagle  Creek  (three  miles  from  West  Union,   Ohio) and  Straight 
Creek(now  Georgetown, Ohio) received  early  recognition;  for  over  their 
congregation  John  Dunlavy   presided,  and  at   the  former  place  Garner 
McNemar, brother  of  Richarad, owned  a  farm.  Both  congregations  were 
brought  into  the  Shaker  fold.  The  ablest  advocates  worked  persistently 
among  these  people.  The  first  Shakers  to  visit  Eagle  Creek  were  David 
Spinning  and  Youngs  who  left  Union  Village  June    27th,  1805   for 
Kentucky,  via  Eagle  Creek.     On  their  return  from   Kentucky  accom- 
panied by  Bates  and  McNemar,  they  reached   Eagle  Creek  July  26th 
Three  days  later   the  Rev.  John  Dunlavy    became    a    convert.      The 
vicinity  of   Eagle   Creek  was   again   visited,    on   August   8th,    1805, 
by  McNemar,  Bates  and  Worley,  while  on  their  way  to  Kentucky.   By 
this  time  the  principle  people  at  Eagle  Creek  had  embraced  the  Shaker 
faith.  On  December  31st,  McNemar,  Bates   and   Youngs    reached   the 
neighborhood,  and  on  the  following  Sunday  addressed    an  audience  of 
60  of  whom  30  were  Believers.  After  visiting  the  several  families, and 
holding  meetings,  the  missionaries  proceeded  to  Kentucky,  but  return- 
ed  March  5th,  1806.  July   30th   McNemar  and  Bates  arrived  at  Eagle 
Creek  and  remained  until  August  9th.    On  December   9th   McNemar, 
David  Darrow,Bate8  and  Solomon  King  arrived   at  the  Settlement  and 
returned  to  Union  Village  on  the  25th.  On  May   23rd,  1807,  McNemar, 
David   Spinning  and  Samuel  Rollins  made  a  visit,-the  Believers  now 
numbering  90  souls.  In  1810  it  was  determined  to  purchase  1000  acres 
of  land  between  Eagle  Creek  and  Straight  Creek,but   this  was  aband- 
oned and  the  decree  went  forth  that   a   part   of   the  society  should  be 
moved  to  Union  Village,and  the  rest  to  Busro  (West  Union), Knox  Co., 
Ind.,  where  many  converts  had  been  gathered.  " 


McNemar  was  among  the  earliest  advocates  at  Busro.  In  com- 
pany with  Archibald  Meacham  he  started  for  that'frontier  March  27th, 
1810,  and  on  May  10th  started  for  Union  Village,  accompanied  by  John 
Slover,  son  of  John  Slover,  the  famous  scout  and  Indian  fighter,  who 
was  in  Crawford's  Campaign.  Both  father  and  son  died  Shakers  and 
are  buried  at  South  Union,  Kentucky. 

March  17th,  1807,  in  company  with  Darrow  and  Youngs,  Richard 
started  for  the  Indian  encampment,  at  Greenville,  Ohio,  on  a  mission, 
where  he  arrived  on  the  23rd,  and  started  on  the  return  trip  the  27th.  As 
the  Indians  returned  this  visit,  it  caused  the  Shakers  much  trouble, 
because  the  evilly  disposed  took  advantage  of  it  by  inflaming  the  minds 
of  the  settlers  agpinst  Believers. 

April  9th,  1811,  Richard  set  out  on  amission  through  Kentucky, 
and  returned  August  2nd ;  June  1st,  1812,  visited  the  Governor  of  the 
State  at  Dayton  respecting  military  matters  that  concerned  the  Shak- 
ers; March  8th,  1813,  went  to  Beaver  Creek,  (then  called  Watervleit), 
where  he  was  taken  sick,  and  on  the  16th  was  brought  home  by  Nathan 
Sharp. 

In  the  establishment  of  the  Whitewater  community  McNemar 
was  a  prominent  factor.  The  people  were  mostly  gathered  from  Darby 
Plains,  Union  County,  Ohio.  The  settlement  there  was  first  visited  by 
McNemar  and  Calvin  Morrell  during  the  month  of  June,  1820.  On 
the  following  day  after  their  arrival  they  addressed,  in  a  grove,  a  pub- 
lic meeting.  The  third  day  they  returned  to  Union  Village.  January 
8th,  1823,  McNemar  and  Bates  started  for  the  Plains  aud  remained  un- 
til the  24th.  Early  in  1824  the  people  were  removed  to  Whitewater 
in  Hamilton  County,  Ohio.  During  his  life  McNemar  took  great  in- 
terest in  this  people. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  existence  of  the  community  near  Cleve- 
land, Richard  McNemar,  along  with  Richard  W.  Pelham,  James  Hodge, 
Anna  Boyd  and  Betsey  Dunlavy  were  deputed  to  proceed  from  Union 
Village  and  organize  the  Believers  into  a  common  family,  to  be  known 
in  reference  to  the  parent  as  "North  Union." 

The  rapid  stride  made  by  the  Shakers  between  the  years  1805 
and  1810  was  the  cause  of  great  alarm  among  the  sects.  So  long  as 
the  inroads  were  made  upon  the  domain  of  the  New  Light,  or  Christian 
Church,  the  discomfiture  of  the  latter  was  greatly  enjoyed  by  the  other 
sects ;  but  when  visible  success  was  made  in  other  folds,  then  all  united 
to  put  down  the  Shakers.  Slander,  of  the  most  outrageous  and  in- 
decent kind  was  resorted  to  and  McNemar's  character  was  assailed. 


30 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


31 


The  dissatisfaction  finally  culminated  in  the  mob  that  assembled  at 
Union  Village,  August  27th,  1810.  Active  in  this  mob,  and  Chief 
spokesman,  was  Rev.  Mathew  G.  Wallace.  A  company  of  light  horse 
from  Springdale  was  in  the  array.  There  were  five  hundred  men  in 
military  order,  led  by  officers,  that  swooped  down  upon  the  peaceable 
villagers,  besides  fifteen  hundred  others.  Richard  McNemar  boldly 
<Jonfronted  one  of  the  leaders,  Col.  James  Smith.  This  Smith  had  been 
a  Presbyterian  then  a  New  Light  preacher,  then  a  Shaker  and  then  an 
apostate.  Judge  Francis  Dunlavy  was  on  hands  and  commanded  the 
peace  and  ordered  the  mob  to  disperse.  The  Shaker  houses  were 
searched,  and  after  much  persausion  from  disinterested  parties  the 
mob  quietly  dispersed.  The  announced  purpose  of  the  mob  was  to  tar 
and  feather  Richard  McNemar,  drive  those  Shakers  who  had  come 
from  the  East  out  of  the  country,  and  break  up  the  community. 

The  year   1817  was  fruitful  in  disturbances  at  Union  Village 
The  Western  ^^a/-,published  atLebanon,became  very  vindictive  towards 
the  Shakers,  and  one  of  the  editors  published  a  scurrillous  pamphlet 
against  them.     On  July  31st,  under   pretense   of  law,  a  scene  of  mob- 
bing and  rioting  was  perpetrated.      The   excuse   made    was  to  obtain 
Jonathan  Davis,    a  youth  who  had  been  given  to  the  Society  by  his 
father.     When  the   mob    appeared  the   boy  was  on  the  evetrough    of 
what  IS  now  the  Office,  painting.     McNemar  was  likewise  painting  the 
building,  but  rested  on  a  ladder.      When  the  boy  discerned  the  mob 
approaching  he  devined    their   errand,    slid    down    the    corner  of  the 
building,  ran  to  the  Mill  Family  and  there   hid  until   after   night  fall 
When  the  mob  came  in  front  of  the  building  McNemar  began  to  preach 
to  them  m  poetry  and  thus  continued  for  a  space  of  two  hours.       This 
caused  a  feeling  of  good  humor  in  the   majority,  who  came  into  the 
yard,  and  there  rested  on  the  grass  until  the  conclusion  of  the  discourse 
—McNemar  meanwhile  remaining  on  the  ladder.     McNemar  and  some 
others  were  indicted  by  the  grand   jury,    and  some  litigation  grew  out 
of  the  retaining  of  the  boy.     On  December  3rd,   following,   McNemar 
and  Calvin  Morrell  went  to  Columbus  in  order  to  present  a  remonstrance 
to  the  legislature  against  the  persecution  by  the  *  ^Western  Star." 

It  was  about  this  time  that  a  command  from  heaven  was  re- 
ceived by  a  visionist  that  a  curse  should  be  placed  upon  Lebanon,  Ohio 
on  account  of  the   persecution   its  inhabitants   had  dealt   out  to  the 
bhakers,  and  a  blessing  on  Dayton  because  of  favors  shown.      The  lot 
fell  to  McNemar  and  Francis  Bedle.      The  former  opposed  the  scheme 
And  said  it  should  be  passed  over;  but,  in  obedience  to  David  Darrow 


reluctantly  consented.  Early  in  the  morning  the  two  messengers  to- 
gether appeared  on  the  principal  street  of  Lebanon,  on  horseback, 
waved  their  hats  and  pronounced  woe  upon  all  persecutors.  In  the 
afternoon  they  appeared  in  Dayton,  waived  their  hats  and  pronounced 
blessings  on  all  denizens  thereof.  News  of  this  action  of  the  Shakers 
wafted  over  the  banks  and  hills  of  the  Miami  and  Mad  rivers.  Up  to 
that  time  Dayton  had  made  slow  progress.  The  people  having  been 
thus  blessed,  the  farmers  sold  or  rented  their  lands,  moved  into  the 
town,  which  gave  it  an  impetus  that  has  remained  even  unto  the  present 

time. 

There  is  an  instance  recorded  when  McNemar  forgot  his  pro- 
fession of  non-resistance.  Issachar  Bates  returned  late  on  Saturday 
night  in  August,  1808,  with  a  package  of  money.  This  was  discovered 
by  a  band  of  thieves,  who  broke  into  the  house  for  the  purpose  of  seizing 
the  money.  Fortunately  Bates  had  it  carefully  concealed  so  that  but 
six  dollars  were  secured.  The  robbers  broke  open  doors  and  cupboards 
and  awakened  all  the  sleepers.  McNemar  slept  in  the  garret  and  be- 
ing awakened  and  realizing  the  situation  hurled  a  chair  upon  the 
theives,  and  by  his  intrepidity  succeeded  in  driving  out  the  intruders. 
The  next  morning,  being  Sunday,  he  composed  and  sang  in  the  church 
meeting  the  following  composition : 

"Will  a  man  rob  God?  Said  the  prophet  of  old- 
Can  the  sons  of  the  whore  be  so  wicked  and  bold? 

This  question  is  answered,  the  thing  has  been  done — 
We  have  witnessed  the  fact  since  the  last  setting  sun. 

"The  church  was  beset  by  a  black  painted  band, 

With  their  candles  and  clubs  and  their  pistols  in  hand; 

Twelve  strokes  of  the  clock  told  the  dark  silent  hour 

When  those  wretches  came  rushing  like  wolves  to  devour. 

**With  their  pistols  presented  they  entered  each  room. 
Crying,  'Give  us  your  money,  or  death  is  your  doom!' 

Beset  by  such  monsters  determined  to  kill. 
Our  good  Elder  brethren  all  chose  to  be  still. 

**With  threats  and  menaces  they  searched  around— 
The  chests  they  broke  open  and  took  all  they  found : 

Till  a  chair  from  the  garrett  struck  one  on  the  head ; 
Then  the  stairs  they  descended  and  hastily  fled. 

**Ye  lucrative  monsters !  ye  fiends  in  disguise ! 

How  great  was  your  trouble!  how  small  was  your  prize! 
How  careful  kind  heaven  your  scheme  to  defeat ! 

And  how  thankful  the  saints  when  they  saw  your  retreat! 


il 


32  EICHARD  McNEMAR 

"Such  mischievous  wretches  let  statesmen  pursue 

Believers  have  got  something  better  to  do ; 
By  their  faith  and  obedience  the  nations  they'll  heal, 

And  lay  up  a  good  treasure  which  theives  cannot  steal." 

CHAPTER  VI. 

TRAVELS    AND    SPECIAL    MISSIONS. 

The  travels  or  journeys  of  Richard  McNemar  were  frequent, 
arduous,  and  sometimes  very  long,  most  of  which  were  accomplished 
on  foot.  The  time  when  he  visited  Mount  Lebanon,  New  York,  on  his 
first  trip,  may  be  determined  from  the  outline  of  a  poem,  addressed  to- 
Mother  Lucy  Wright,  which  he  has  left,  would  fix  it  in  the  year  1811. 
The  closing  stanza  of  this  draft  reads : 

**The  world  hates  the  name  of  the  Old  McNemar 
And  threatens  to  coat  him  with  feathers  and  tar. 

But  his  name  and  nature  may  go  to  the  ditch, 
I'll  cleave  to  my  Mother  and  call  myself  Rich." 

The  threat  of  **tar  and  feathers"  of  the  Mob  of  1810,  was  fresh 
in  his  mind.  By  direction  of  David  Darrow  he  went  to  Mount  Leba- 
non on  special  business  concerning  the  ministry,  and  on  arriving  there 
was  assigned  quarters  in  the  Office.  While  transacting  his  mission  he 
received  a  summons  from  Mother  Lucy  Wright  to  visit  her  at  her 
rooms  before  his  departure.  By  an  Office  trustee  Richard  was  ushered 
into  the  room  of  the  Ministry  Sisters,  who  introduced  him  as  **an 
author,  the  brightest  of  preachers,  and  now  an  envoy  from  the  fair 
western  country."  The  two  sisters  heartily  greeted  and  welcomed  him 
to  their  presence.  Mother  Lucy  stated  that  she  desired  especially  for 
him  to  describe  his  views  relative  to  Christ's  Second  appearing  on  the 
earth,  and  his  ^'opinion  of  the  manifestations  pervading  the  wonder- 
ful power  of  the  Kentucky  revival,"  for  both  had  read  his  book  on 
that  subject.  Richard  expressed  his  views  without  reservation  on  the 
subjects  indicated,  and  went  on  at  length  to  vindicate  what  he  had 
stated  in  his  book,  **The  Kentucky  Revival,"  and  from  time  to  time 
would  stop  that  the  sisters  might  make  such  observations  as  they  de- 
sired. But  they  did  not  wish  to  express  opinions,  as  they  were  intent 
solely  on  listening,  and  evinced  the  closest  attention.  The  views  put 
forth  on  Christ's  second  appearing,  greatly  encouraged  Mother  Lucy. 
When  he  had  concluded,  he  was  commanded  to  **tell  us  all  your  ex- 
perience of  life  as  far  as  you  might  feel  to  impart.     Tell  us  more  than 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


33 


we  can  clearly  know  from  any  reports  and  remote  information.  Tell 
us  without  any  restraint  of  your  guidings  leading  up  to  the  day  in 
which  you  were  found  (March  23rd,  1805,)  by  the  eastern  brethren  in 
the  midst  of  your  family  circle." 

After  all  the  information  desired  had  been  imparted  Mother 
Lucy  said  unto  Richard :  *'l  make  you  a  High  Priest  in  Zion.  I  give 
you  a  new  name.  I  call  you  Elder  Eleazar  Right,  because  you  under- 
stand Mother's  gospel  right." 

**I  am  delighted  with  my  new  name,"  Richard  responded;  *'but 
would  like  to  have  it  one  letter  longer."  Mother  Lucy  not  seeming  to 
notice  the  request,  Richard  turned  to  the  other  sister  and  said,  ''That 
letter  is  W,  and  I  will  call  myself  Eleazar  Wright."  *'You  are  wel- 
come to  add  the  letter  W  to  own  Mother' s  name,  and  so  become  another 
one  in  the  file  of  her  many  namesakes, ' '  said  the  sister.  After  express- 
ing to  the  Ministry  Sisters  his  grateful  thanks  for  the  happiest  visit 
of  his  life,  Richard  withdrew  from  their  presence. 

When  Richard's  mission  had  been  accomplished  and  preparations 
for  his  return  journey  were  being  made,  both  brethren  and  sisters 
came  to  his  room  to  hear  more  from  his  lips.  When  the  hour  for  de- 
parture arrived  he  passed  from  the  Office  to  the  front  gate,  where  he 
encountered  a  large  friendly  crowd  all  of  whom  individually  bade  him 
farevrell  and  expressed  their  kindest  regards.  Mounting  his  steed  and 
adjusting  his  saddle-bags,  he  rode  up  to  the  fence  and  once  more 
viewed  the  friendly  faces,  reluctant  to  leave  them.  In  that  assemblage 
were  the  Ministry,  the  elders  of  the  Church  Family,  the  Office  officers 
as  well  as  many  others.  Just  then  a  brother  rode  up  and  announced 
to  Richard  that  he  had  been  honored  by  being  appointed  to  accompany 
him  home.  It  Was  a  comforting  thought  to  Elder  Eleazer  that  the 
brother  designated  to  be  his  companion  was  the  one  he  had  greatly  ad- 
mired as  the  special  attendant  during  his  sojourn  at  the  Office. 

When  the  two  horsemen  arrived  at  the  Center  House  gate.  Union 
Village,  the  people  came  swarming  out  to  greet  them,  and  the  family 
at  the  Brick  House  ran  forth  with  joyful  expressions  of  welcome,  and 
all  joined  in  a  song  composed  for  the  occasion.  When  the  greetings 
had  subsided  the  companion  led  Richard  to  a  point  where  all  could  be 
seen,  and  then  announced  that  he  had  brought  back  their  much  es- 
teemed and  beloved  elder,  with  the  new  name,  Elder  Eleazar  Wright, 
by  which  he  should  be  addressed. 

Owing  to  80  many  Richards  and  so  many  of  the  surname  Mc- 
Nemar in  the  two  families  the  name  was  pleasing  both  to  brethren  and 


34 


RICHARD  3IcNEMAR 


sisters.  After  this  Richard  usually  signed  his  letters  by  the  one  word 
Eleaza7\ 

The  second  trip  East  was  more  extended  than  the  first.  Rich- 
ard left  Union  Village  on  June  9th,  1829.  At  Chillicothe  he  took  the 
boat  for  Cleveland ;  from  there  to  Buffalo;  thence  to  Schenectady, 
and  from  there  to  Mt.  Lebanon,  fromMt.  Lebanon  to  Hancock,  Mass. 
On  July  25th  from  Canterbury  he  wrote  to  the  Mt.  Lebanon  Ministry 
requesting  their  advice  as  to  what  message  he  should  give  the  people. 
August  2nd,  he  preached  to  the  people  at  Harvard.  This  discourse 
has  been  preserved  and  is  printed  in  Hollister's  * 'Pearly  Gate  Bible 
Lessons."  His  diary  shows  the  amount  of  money  contributed  person- 
ally to  him  by  the  various  Societies  on  his  route:  Enfield,  Conn.,  $42.- 
50;  Hancock,  $15;  Canterbury,  $90;  Enfield,  N.  H.,$35;  Shirley,  $35. 
It  is  probable  the  Central  Ministry  had  sent  for  him,  because  he  gives 
a  minute  of  the  ''Subjects  of  conference  with  the  Ministry."  The 
principal  themes  were  the  difficulties  that  occurred  after  the  death  of 
David  Darrow  and  the  character  and  esteem  in  which  the  Western 
Ministry  wers  held  by  the  people.  He  gives  the  names  and  ages  of  the 
North  Family,  Mt.  Lebanon,  and  also  those  of  the  Canaan  Family.  He 
returned  via  Schenectady,  Lyons,  Rochester,  Buffalo  and  Cleveland, 
and  arrived  home  October  1st. 

The  final  revision  of  the  Covenant  was  made  in  1829,  and  Rich- 
ard McNemar  was  appointed  by  the  Central  Ministry  to  visit  all  the 
Western  communities  and  exert  all  his  powers  to  induce  them  to  re- 
ceive it.  His  diary*  shows  there  was  much  opposition  manifested  to 
its  acceptance ;  but  he  succeeded  in  overcoming  all  opposition. 

John  Dunlavy,  in  temporary  charge  of  the  West  Union  Commun- 
ity, Knox  County,  Ind.,died  September  16th,  1826.  On  September  25th, 
Richard  was  released  from  eldership  of  the  Brick  House  to  go  and  take 
charge  of  West  Union,  where  he  arrived  October  6th  following,  and  at 
once  assumed  the  entire  care.  On  October  19th  he  assembled  the  peo- 
ple and  informed  them  that  it  was  the  decision  of  all  the  Western  Min- 
istry that  "all  the  people  should  rise  once  more  and  move  away  from 
Busro,  and  so  abandon  the  place  forever."  The  cause  of  this  decision 
was  owing  to  the  malaria  that  afflicted  the  people.  January  1st,  1827 
he  presented  an  article  of  conveyance  of  all  their  lands  to  Nathan  Sharp 
and  Francis  Vores  as  trustees,  which  most  of  the  members  signed.  He 
remained  in  charge  until  the  removal  took  place,  which  was  March  20th, 
1827,  when  he  left,  taking  a  route  through  Kentucky,  and  arrived  at 
Union  Village  on  May  4th.     Soon  after  his  return  he  was  sent  to  Pleas- 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


35 


I 


ant  Hill,  Kentucky,  to  look  after  the  interests  of  that  Society  in  the 
matter  of  lawsuits  in  which  it  was  engaged  with  seceding  members. 
He  had  the  general  oversight  and  management  of  the  Shaker  interests. 
He  remained  until  the  following  year. 

"The  Ministry  and  Elders  at  Union  Village  having  agreed  to 
send  Eleazar  to  Kentucky  as  a  help  in  regulating  the  cause  of  Believ- 
ers against  sundry  lawsuits  and  other  grievances  instituted  by  aposta- 
tes, on  Tuesday  March  30,  1830,  set  out  from  home  and  by  way  of 
Cincinnati,  Port  William  and  Frankfort,  arrived  at  Pleasant  Hill 
April  4th.''  April  7th  a  suit  was  tried  at  Harrodsburgh,  in  which 
the  jury  hung.  In  May  the  new  revision  of  the  covenant  was  pre- 
sented and  the  preliminary  articles  called  **Revision''  were  written. 
He  was  also  largely  engaged  in  examining  papers  and  entering  up 
matters  on  the  book  of  records,  all  of  which  he  had  found  in  great 
confusion.  August  2nd  he  started  for  South  Union,  arriving  there  the 
6th.  Elder  Benjamin  S.  Youngs,  then  in  care  of  the  Society,  assigned 
him  commodious  appartments.  At  once  he  entered  upon  the  work  of 
preparing  court  documents  for  the  suit  set  at  Russelville  on  the  8th, 
but  it  was  continued  until  the  November  term.  On  the  15th  he  preached 
to  a  large  assembly.  On  the  21st  there  was  a  general  council  of  the 
principal  brethren  of  South  Union,  twenty  in  number,  to  canfer 
with  McNemar  **on  the  course  proper  to  be  pursued  for  the  defence  of 
the  rights  and  privileges  of  the  Society,  whether  in  conformity  to  the 
act  of  the  legislature  of  1828,  or  according  to  the  order  and  general 
rules  of  the  church,  and  after  much  freedom  of  investigation  it  was  un- 
animously agreed  that  the  said  act  was  to  be  considered  unconstitu- 
tional and  void,  founded  on  falsehood  and  misrepresentation  and  to  be 
disregarded.  That  in  order  to  meet  the  unjust  attacks  of  the  enemies 
of  the  Society  on  proper  ground,  it  became  necessary  to  attend  to  the 
proper  organization  of  all  matters  on  gospel  principles  which  require 
that  a  lawful  conveyance,  transfer  and  surrender  of  all  personal  claims 
to  the  consecrated  interest  of  the  Church  be  made  to  regular  trustees 
by  executing  a  firm  covenant.  To  which  all  present  individually  ex- 
pressed their  agreement,  and  their  readiness  to  enter  into  those  meas- 
ures whenever  it  should  be  considered  necessary  and  proper." 

On  the  25th  Richard  set  out  for  Pleasant  Hill,  and  during  his 
stay  there  it  was  agreed  that  a  remonstrance  should  be  prepared  to  the 
legislature  against  the  Act  of  1828  and  to  have  the  MS.  * 'Revision" 
printed  at  Harrodsburgh. 

The  suits  at  Harrodsburgh  were  heard  on  October  6th,   and  the 


if 


i 


( 


36 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


Shakers  were  cast  in  $48,  "which   they  mean  not   to   pay."     October 
12th    Richard  started  for  South    Union,    and   on  the    27th  printed  an 
address  to  the  legislature,    and   on   the    28th  and  29th  finished  writing 
and  printing  the  public  documents.     The  suit  instituted  by  John  Boon 
alleged  that  he  had  given  a  $1000  note   instead  of  one    for  $110  as  he 
had  intended,  and  that  he  did  not  realize  the  mistake    until    sometime 
after  he  had  paid  the  same.     The  suit   commenced  November  3rd    and 
continued  until  the  10th,  which  ended  in  favor  of  the  Society.      Nov. 
16th  Richard  arrived  at   Pleasant   Hill.      December   2nd    started   for 
Frankfort  and  presented  the    « 'Remonstrance"  to  the  legislature,    and 
on  the  9th  returned.     On  the  20th  started  for    Frankfort  and  returned 
the  23rd.     On  the  26th  there  was  a  conference  relative   to    what  Rich- 
ard should  do,  either  stay  and  help  carry  on  the  lawsuits   or   leave  for 
home.     Opinions   were  greatly   divided,— Benjamin    S.    Youngs    and 
Richard  favoring  the  latter.     January  1st,  1831,  Richard  drew  up  the 
deed  of  trust  of  the  Pleasant  Hill  Society's  lands    to   the  trustees,  and 
next  day  started  for  Frankfort,  where  on  the    16th,    he  took  the  boat. 
Volant,  for  North  Bend.     From  there  to  Whitewater   where  he  tarried 
till  the  20th.     It  probably  was  at  this  time    he  carried  his   trunk   on 
his  back  from  Whitewater  to  Union  Village,— some  30  miles. 

Of  this  trip  to  Kentucky  I  transcribe  McNemar's  own  words,  as 
follows:   *'As  the  principal  object  of  Eleazar's  last  trip  to    Kentucky 
was  to  assist  in  the  line  of  printing  it  will  be  proper  to  state  what  par- 
ticularly  occurred  relating  to  that  business.  It  was  proposed  and  agreed 
that  in  order  to   accomplish  what  other   small  jobs  of    printing    that 
might  be  thought  necessary  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel,  it  might  be 
expedient  to  procure  a  sufficient  quantity  of  new    types  at  the  Cincin- 
nati   foundry,  but  from  the   circumstances  of   the   company  passing 
hastily  through   the   town  that  matter  was  neglected,  so  that  we  be- 
came dependent  on  the  world  as  usual  for  executing  the    job  in  hand, 
which   gave  occasion   to   what  might  be  called  some  serious  trials.  It 
was  first  proposed  by  Eleazar  to  have  the  remomstrance   printed  early 
and  circulated  among  the  members  to  give  time  for  digesting  the  subject. 
This  was   strenuously   opposed   by   Ministry,    Elders   and   Trustees. 
What  then?  postpone  the  printing  till  just  before  the  Assembly   meet, 
to  get  it  forward  before  the  enemy  can  get  up  anything   to  oppose  it. 
On   this   point  the  two  Societies  were  much  divided  in  their  feelings. 
No  doubt  the  Pleasant  Hill  plan   would   have  been  wise  enough  could 
the  printing  have  been  privately  done,  but  from   the   public    press  it 
unavoidably  went  out  and  at  that  most  precarious  period  excited  an  op- 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


37 


posite  statement  calculated  to  defeat  the  whole  business.  At  South  Union 
matters  were  happily  managed  by  means  of  a  small  press  constructed 
by  Elder  Benjamin  (Youngs).  While  at  Pleasant  Hill  Elder  Benjamin 
expressed  a  wish  to  have  their  general  articles  printed  and  wish- 
ed me  to  stay  and  assist.  On  this  subject  we  had  a  serious  labor,  and 
but  for  the  entire  disgust  which  I  had  got  at  attending  the  world's 
presses,  it  would  have  been  done.  While  at  Frankfort  this  subject 
occupied  considerable  conversation,  and  we  agreed  that  it  would  be  of 
great  importance  at  this  time  to  have  a  suitable  press  in  some  of  our 
societies  for  the  purpose  of  executing  such  jobs  and  for  other  purposes, 
and  so  the  matter  was  left  to  be  considered  at  the  Center  Union, wheth- 
er at  all  or  where  it  will  be  proper  for  such  a  thing  to  be  established. 

*»With    regard   to    Eleazar's   being  sent  for  the  particular  pur- 
pose   of    aiding  in    the    management  of   lawsuits  at  Pleasant  Hill,  it 
proved  to  be  the  most  perfect  abortion.  Neither   minister,  elder,  deac- 
on or  member    ever  once   invited  him    to    take  any  special  concern  in 
that  business,   not  even    so  much  as  to  present  a  paper,  or  a  thing,    or 
give  any  statement  how    matters    stood  further  than  as  he  intruded  by 
way   of  inquiry.    He  attended  the  April  court    merely   as  a  spectator. 
At   the    October    term    he  was  not  even  invited  to  attend  till  after  the 
trial  was  over  and  the  Society  was  cast  in  two    suits.    On  the  back  of 
all  this,  his  furlo  is  lengthened  out   till  the  February   court   and  great 
anxiety  manifested  to  have  him  stay.    But  when  the  matter  came  to  be 
duly  considered   by  the  united  wisdom  of  both  Societies  it  was    agreed 
to  loose  him  and  let  him  go,  upon  this  principle  that  he  was  identified 
with  no  orders  or  gift  in  that  Society,  and  that  he  had  during  his  resi- 
dence there  been  accommodated  and   treated  in   a  manner  entirely  in- 
consistent with  the  views  or  purposes  for  which  he  had  been  sent.  Some 
apologies  were  made  for  those  improprieties." 

It  is  further  recorded  that  Richard,  during  his  sojourn  at 
Frankfort,  in  behalf  of  the  Pleasant  Hill  Society,  paid  his  own  expenses, 
using  $31  of  the  money  he  had  received  from  the  Eastern  Societies 
during  his  last  sojourn  among  them.  On  this  point  he  naively  re- 
marks: *^0n  a  subsequent  occasion  Eleazar  received  at  the  office,  $25 
for  spending  money,  being  sent  on  business  to  Cincinnati:  part  of 
which  served  for  expenses  of  the  journey,  and  the  balance  was  laid 
out  for  types,  which  left  but  eleven  dollars  balance  to  test  the  gener- 
osity of  the  honorable  trustees." 

April  30th,  1831,  Richard,  in   company  with   Mathew   Houston 
visited  the  Society  of  Watervliet,  Ohio,  in  the  interests  of  the  revised 


38 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


I 


Covenant.  May  1st  he  gave  a  discourse,  in  the  Church  services,  an 
epitome  of  which  is  given  in  his  diary.  On  Monday  evening  a  meet- 
ing of  Ministers,  Elders  and  Deacons  convened  in  the  garret  for  the 
purpose  of  hearing  the  Church  Covenant.  The  reasons  for  adopting 
the  same — only  of  interest  to  Believers — are  fairly  stated.  On  Wednes- 
day evening  the  subject  was  opened  for  discussion,  with  reasons  for 
and  against  given  at  length  when  *'on  motion  it  was  agreed  by  a  general 
union  to  refer  that  matter  to  Ministry  and  so  the  meeting  closed." 
To  this  minute,  in  October  1834,  McNemar  notes  :  "The  matter  was 
referred  to  the  Ministry  as  there  was  the  Ministry  then  in  the  meeting, 
hence  it  was  not  to  any  ministers  of  God  on  earth  or  in  heaven  that  it 
was  referred,  but  to  the  ministers  of  satan,  and  sure  enough  they 
have  had  the  control  of  the  business  ever  since." 

May  11th  Richard  arrived  at  Whitewater  and  took  lodging  in 
the  meeting  house.  His  journal  is  quite  lengthy  relative  to  the  investi- 
gations entered  into  concerning  the  internal  affairs  of  the  Society. 
May  17th,  he  left  for  Union  Village.  On  the  24th  he  again  appeared 
at  Whitewater,  the  burden  of  which  appeared  to  have  been  to  release 
Calvin  Morrell  from  his  office  and  send  him  to  Union  Village,  on  the 
plea  of  old  age.  Calvin  complained  bitterly  to  Archibald  Meacham 
about  being  **scrouged  out,"  which  the  latter  repeated  to  Richard,  and 
thus  he  replied:  **Heis  not  the  first  that  has  been  scrouged  out  by 
one  who  could  not  hold  his  own  people  together.  Jesus  has  been  a 
mighty  scrouger  and  has  scrouged  many  a  fellow  out  of  his  nest  and 
it  is  well  known  that  he  could  not  hold  his  own  people  together,  they 
all  forsook  him  and  fled.  St.  Paul  was  another  scrouger,  and  what  be- 
came of  all  they  of  Asia ;  what  became  of  Demas  and  all  the  rest  who 
loved  this  present  world?  If  the  unbelieving  depart  this  will  not  dis- 
qualify a  faithful  shepherd  from  protecting  the  sheep,  but  if  any  pro- 
fessed minister  of  Christ  should  avail  himself  of  the  gift  committed  to 
him  to  gather  a  church,  society  or  people  of  his  own,  it  need  not  be 
thought  strange  if  a  stranger  should  come  upon  him  and  take  from 
him  his  armor  wherein  he  trusted  and  divided  the  spoil.  Where  then 
is  the  damage  if  C.  is  robbed  and  spoiled  and  scrouged  out  and  separ- 
ated from  the  people  that  he  considered  his  own?" 

Issachar  Bates  took  charge  of  the  Watervleit,  Ohio,  conmunity 
October  24th,  1824,  though  he  had  never  felt  himself  capable  of  tak- 
ing the  first  care  of  any  people.  Owing  to  internal  troubles,  the  posi- 
tion was  a  difficult  one.  As  he  was  to  stand  alone  in  the  Ministry, 
everything  was  practically   in  his   hands.  Issachar  always  claimed  to- 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


39 


have  been  the  founder  of  the  Society,  and  regarded  it  as  his  child.  He 
was  greatly  desirous  that  it  should  be  the   headquarters   of    Shakerism 
in  the  West.  During  his  administration  of  affairs,  while  not  successful 
in    that    direction,    he   endeared    himself    to    all    the  members,   who 
were  anxious  that  his   remaining   days   should   be   spent   with  them. 
Affairs  remaining  in  an  entangled   condition,    Richard   McNemar  was 
sent  there  February  10th,  1832  to  * 'examine  their    state   as   respected 
covenant    matters,  records,  etc."  On  April  1st  Elder  Issachar   was  re- 
leased   from    the   care   of  the    Society  and    Richard  appointed  in  his 
place.  Soon  after  Issachar  started  for  Kentuckey  and  returned  Septem- 
ber 16th,    1833.    A   division    arose    in  the  Society,  some  holding   that 
Issachar   was   still   in    charge    and  others  holding  that  Richard  stood 
first.     Elder    Archibald    Meacham   of   Whitewater   thought   Issachar 
should  enter  his  Society  because  so  long  as  he  "remained  on  the  ground 
the  people    would  never  be  gathered  to  another."  Instead  of  asserting 
his    authority    Richard  uniformly  acted  on  the  principle  that  he  stood 
only  as  a  help  to  the  order    that    was    and    has   therefore    kept    Elder 
Issachar  as  much  forward  as  express  orders  and  the  nature  of  the   case 
would    admit.  Hence  he  has  been  exposed    to  censure  in  the  feelings  of 
some  as  tho  he  was  not  faithful   in  holding   and   exercising   the    gift 
committed  to    him,   and   keeping    up   a  gift  that  was  obsolete  and  not 
profitable  to  the  people.  This  censorious   feeling,  however  sincere  and 
conscientious,  was  rather  misguided,  seeing  the  gift   had  been    so   ex- 
pressly   divided,    leaving    a    part    to  Elder  Issachar,  as  before   stated, 
and  knowing  also  that  would    have   shown    a    very    impertinent  spirit 
for  Eleazar  to  attempt   to  scrouge  Elder  I.  out  of  any  gift  or  privilege 
that  was  granted  him  by  the  ministry.  On  this  ground  there  have  been 
trial  and  tribulation  on  both  sides,  particularly  between  Elder  Issachar 
and  the  sisters,  all  which    mig lit  be  summed  up  in    a  few   words  with- 
out reflecting  the  least  degree  of  censure  on  either    side.  We    say    that 
the  sisters  (whose  study  and  labor  day  and  night  is   too   make   Elder 
Issachar    comfortable)    have  in  many  cases  manifested  a  wish  to  have 
him  eased  of  any  burden  in  the  management   of  affairs, — they  have  la- 
bored   to    weigh    his    weakness  and  infirmities,  and  place  them  as    an 
overbalance  to  any  good  that  could  result  from  his  further  labors.  This 
they  have   unwarily  breathed   out  on  some  occasions,  which  to  Elder 
Issachar  has  felt  the  most  cruel  and  ungrateful  and  calculated  to  excite 
a  passion  which  Solomon  says  is   cruel   as  the   grave.    Hence   it   has 
sometimes   appeared   to   him  as   if  he  was  totally  set  at  naught ;  that 
this    Eldership   has   conspired  against   him  to   cut  him  off  from  .any 


40 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


41 


part  or  lot  in  the  matter,  and  that  he  might  as  well  retire  from  their 
fellowship  and  seek  his  union  where  he  could  find  it,  which  of  course 
must  be  with  those  who  had  no  union  with  the  Elders  and  had  still  re- 
tained their  respect  and  confidence  in  him." 

It  appears  that  Elder  Issachar  had  many  conferences  with  Elder 
Richard  relative  to  his  grievances,  some  of  which  are  recorded.  On 
August  24th,  1834  this  is  given;  **Ia  the  late  discussion  of  mat- 
ers with  Elder  I  relative  to  his  rights  and  privileges  as  Elder  to  every 
Believer  in  the  West,  I  explained  the  title  as  nearly  relating  to  his 
seniority  in  the  gospel ;  that  his  lot  and  labor  were  not  in  the  Elder- 
ship at  all;  that  he  was  called  and  sent  forth  as  a  minister,  and  had 
stood  as  a  help  to  the  ministry  in  gathering  and  establishing  the  church. 
He  said  I  did  not  understand  him ;  that  he  did  not  mean  that  he  was 
a  regular  or  active  Elder,  but  that  all  would  have  to  acknowledge 
him  in  that  relation.  I  very  cordially  admitted  that  he  was  and  would 
forever  be  acknowledged  and  respected  in  his  proper  order  and  relation 
to  us  all  and  doubtless  rewarded  for  all  the  good  he  had  done.  As  to 
his  special  relation  to  this  Society  he  was  respected  as  a  father,  but 
first  and  last  our  mutual  gift  and  calling  had  been  as  helps  to  the 
Ministry.  [This  he  had  repeatedly  stated  as  a  special  communication 
from  F.  D.  (David  Darrow)  in  his  words;  that  he,  F.  D.,  had  often 
said,  you  and  Eleazar  are  my  ministers].  Accordingly  I  proposed 
the  real  state  of  the  case  to  be  as  follows,  and  to  which  he  very  cordi- 
ally agreed:  That  after  his  long  libor  at  West  Union  and  return  to 
Union  Village,  Father  (David  Darrow)sent  him  to  Watervleit  to  take  the 
ministerial  charge  of  the  Society  and  ease  the  burden  off  him,  as  he 
was  becoming  burdened  beyond  his  strength;  that  he  had  filled  that 
lot  until  the  gift  came  for  introducting  the  new  covenant ;  that  at  that 
period  I  was  sent  as  a  help  to  the  present  ministry  (Union  Village 
Ministry)  to  ease  the  burden  off  them  and  regulate  the  Society  ac- 
<5ording  to  the  increase  but  had  not  succeeded  in  accomplishing  the  work, 
and  therefore  we  stood  in  a  double  capacity, — He  was  a  help  to  Father 
David,  or  the  former  ministry,  and  I  as  a  help  to  Elder  Solomon 
(King),  as  the  Ministry  thus  present.  In  this  statement  we  mutually 
agreed." 

There  were  four  brethern  who  spoke  in  public  meeting.  It  was 
arranged  that  Richard  and  William  Phillips  should  speak  on  alternate 
Sundays  with  Issachar  and  Henry  Miller.  This  gave  Watervliet  the 
two  most  powerful  preachers — McNemar  and  Bates — the  Shakers  ever 
had  in  the  West, — or  even  in  the  East.  McNemar's  rule  was  fortunate 


in  Watervleit,  although  his  remaining  there  was  not  in  accordance 
with  his  desires.  He  succeeded  finally  in  inducing  all  to  sign  the  new 
revision  of  the  covenant  and  establishing  harmony.  He  looked  care- 
fully after  the  spiritual  and  temporal  welfare,  and  engaged  in  literary 
enterprises.  On  December  28th,  1835,  he  was  released  from  his  duties 
at  Watervleit,  and  on  January  13th,  1836,  in  company  with  Ashbel 
Kitchen  and  Malinda  Watts  left  for  Union  Village.  Malinda  Watts 
was  regarded  as  the  ablest  of  the  Western  sisters.  She  was  a  daughter 
of  Judge  Kitchell,  and  sister  of  Elder  Ashbel  Kitchell. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

LITERARY    AND    OTHER    INDUSTRIES. 

It  has  already  been  intimated  that  Richard  McNemar  was  both 
a  poet  and  an  author.    His  poems  were    of  the  fugitive    kind,  for  there 
is  no  evidence  that  he  courted  the  muses,    save  only  as  the   inspiration 
seized  him,  or  else  to  while  away   such  times  as  dragged  heavily  on 
his  hands.  An  instance  of  the  latter   is    funished  in  his  diary,    where 
at  Frankfort  Ky .,  waiting  on  the  legislature,  for  pasttime  he  composed 
a  poem  of  forty  eight  lines.     This  poem  has  never  been  published.  His 
longest    production  is  called  -Slug,"  of  one    hundred   and   sixty-tour 
lines,    which   is  printed   in   his  Selections  of   1833.    This  caught  the 
fancy  of  Nordhoff,  who  reproduced  it   almost  entire  in  his  -Commun- 
istic  Societies  of  the  United  States.-  His   next  longest    Poem  was    en- 
titled   -A   Concise   Answer  to  the  General  Inquiry  Who  or  What  are 
theShakers,-writteninl808,  but  never   printed    until    1823.    Every 
subject  of  special  interest  to  the  Shakers  he  threw  into  rhyme  and  this 

made  it  attractive  to  Believers.  ^      .     .    f 

It  would  be   impossible    to    determine    the    scope   and  extent  ot 
McNemar's    poetical     effusions,  because  many   verses   were   printed 
anonymously,  and  he  appears  to  have  exercised  no  care,  save  in  one  m- 
stance,  in  preserving  those  written  anterior  to  1805.    He  wrote  hymns 
that  were  sung  during  the  Kentucky  revival,  but  in  the  rapid  change 
which  have  taken  place  since,    these  have  gone  into    oblivion.    It  was 
probably   due   to   the  great  influence  of  the  power  of  song,  recognized 
fn  the   Kentucky    revival,  that  he  continued  the  art  when  he  entered 
the  Shaker  fold.  Shaker  hymnolgy  owes  its  origin  to  the  early  western 
converts.  It  is  true  these  people  had  music,  but  it  was  unaccompan  ed 
by   words.    It  may  not  be  susceptable  of  proof  that  McNemar  was  the 


42 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


father  of  Shaker  hymns,  though  there  is  evidence  in  that  direction. 
He  did  carry  songs  into  the  Shaker  church  and  was  a  frequent  con- 
tributor. He  exerted  his  influence,  and  the  Shakers  were  early  noted 
for  their  musical  powers.  The  Eastern  Shakers  kindly  took  to  the  in- 
novation, and  a  variety  of  hymn  books  have  since  been  produced. 

So  far  as  I  know  the  first  of  McNemar's  poems  published 
in  separate  form,  was  in  1823,  and  called  »'A  Concise  Answer. '»  It 
grew  out  of  an  application  from  an  individual  in  Georgia  requesting 
information  concerning  the  Shakers.  This  poem  at  one  time  was  very 
popular  among  the  Shakers.  The  editions  of  1823  and  1825  appeared 
at  Union  Village;  also  an  edition  of  1825  at  Enfield,  N.  H. ;  another 
at  Stockbridge,  Mass.,  in  1825 ;  in  1835  an  edition  at  Hartford,  Conn. ; 
one  edition  at  North  Union,  near  Cleveland,  in  1841,  followed  by  an- 
other in  1844.  In  1849  Lorenzo  D.  Grosvenor  enlarged  and  published 
it  both  in  pamphlet  and  circular  form  at  South  Groton,  Mass. 

In  1829  appeared  two  of  Richard  McNemar's  effusions.  One  is 
entitled  *'Thumb  paper  and  Captain  Me  Big,"  the  first  part  ^'(Captain 
MeBig")  has  seventy-two  lines  and  the  other  eight. 

Probably,  about  this  period  his  two  poems— one  commencing 
**L8t  names  and  sects  and  parties  accost  my  ears  no  more"  and  the 
other  ''How  precious  is  the  way  of  God,"  were  printed. 

Under  the  pseudonym  of  Philos  Harmoniae,  at  Watervliet,  Ohio, 
in  1833,  McNemar  published  **A  selection  of  hymns  and  poems,  for 
the  use  of  Believers."  The  book  is  divided  into  two  parts,  the  first  be- 
ing hymns  and  the  second  prose  and  poetry,  consisting  of  ninety-one 
hymns  and  fifty-six  poems.  His  own  contributions  are  indicated  by 
the  initials  "R.  M."  and  *'E.  W.''  being  thirteen  hymns  and  five 
poems. 

At  Watervliet,  1835,  McNemar,  under  the  pseudonym,  E.  W. 
(C.  S.),  published  "A  selection  of  Choice  poetry  New  and  Old,  Doc- 
trinal and  Devotional."  There  are  thirty-eight  selectionB,  all  of  which, 
save  six,  were  probably  composed  by  McNemar.  The  book  has  this 
curious  preface : 

"Caution.  As  we  are  aware  that  many  of  our  hymns,  however 
edifying  to  Believers,  aught  never  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  wick- 
ed ;  and  as  we  would  be  sorry  that  our  good  should  be  evil  spoken  of, 
we  hope  that  all  will  wisely  consider  these  things.  We  think  that  in 
thiscasethesayingof  Christ  may  not  be  inapplicable:  Give  not  that 
which  is  holy  unto  dogs;  neither  cast   ye  your  pearls  before  swine 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


43 


And  what  Newton  said  of  religious  experiences,  will  equally   apply  to 

all  such  sacred  things : 

'Like  precious  swines  their  taste  they  lose. 
Expos' d  to  open  air. — ' 

Parts  one  and  two  of  the  poem  '^John  the  Baptist"  in  the  "Ken- 
tucky Revival"  belong  to  McNemar;  also  the  poem  that  concludes  the 
First,  Second  and  Third  editions   of    "Testimony   of   Christ's   second 

appearing^^^^  be    conceded  that  Richard  McNemar  was  the  father  of 
Shaker  literature.  The  first  production   made  by  the   Shakers   was    a 
small  tract,  written  by  Joseph  Meacham,  entitled  "A  Concise   btate- 
ment   of  the  Principles  of  the  Only  true  Church  of  Christ,     to  which 
was  added  a  letter  from  James  Whittaker.    This  was   struck  from   a 
press  at  Bennington,  Vt.,  in   1790.    There    was  no    other   publication 
until  the  appearance  of  McNemar's    "Kentucky  Revival,"  which  was 
the  first  bound  volume.  It  was  written  at  Union  Village  and  printed  in 
Cincinnati.  It  went  to  press  June  15th,  1807.  So  far  it  is  the  best  history 
of  that  wonderful  religious   awakening  that   has   been   given  to   the 
Dublic    It  has  been  noticed  that  McNemar  keeps  back  the  part  he  took 
in  those  great  campmeetings,  nor  does  he  tell  that  it  was  his  daughter 
Vincv  who  was  held  by  her  father  while  she  preached  to  the  multitudes 
until  she  sank  exhausted   on    his   shoulder.    Besides  the  history   the 
volumne  contains  a  brief  account  of  the  entrance  of  Shakerism  among 
the  subjects  of  the  revival;  the  work  among  the  Indians;  observations 
on  church  government,  and  the  last  will  and  testament  of  the  Spring- 
field Presbytery,  making  in  all  one  hundred  and  forty-three  pages. 
With  a  Cincinnati  imprint  it  was  published  in   1808  at  Albany,  N.  \ 
and  the   same  year  still  another   edition   at  Pictsaeld,  Mass.  In  1837, 
McNemar  prepared   two  copies    for   a   reprint  of  whit  he  called   the 
"Third  Edition,-Union  VilUge,  1837,"  and  the  other  copy:    "Union 
Village-Revised  by  the  author  1837."  This  edition  wus  never  publish- 
ed owing  to  the  want  of  money  caused  by  the  defalcation   of  Nathan 
Sharp   in    1835,    and   the   necessity  for  a  new  residence,  which  made 
strict  economy  imperative.  However  an  edition  was    printed  in   New 
York  in  1846.    Notwithstanding   these  various  reprints,  the  book  be- 
came so  scarce  that  it  was  reproduced  in  "The   Manifesto  "  commenc- 
ing in  the  number  for  January  1891,  ard  concluded   in   the   issue   for 

"^"^^  ^  Owing  to    an  assault   made   on   the  Shakers,  in  a  pamphlet,  by 


44 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


Col.  James  Smith,  entitled  **Shakerism Detected,"  McNemar  published 
a  re  ply,  entitled:  ^'Shakerism  Detected  (A  pamphlet  published  by  Col. 
James  Smith,  of  Ky.)  Examined  and  Refuted.  In  Five  Propositions.'* 
It  was  first  published  at  Lebanon, Ohio,in  1811,  and  again  at  Lexington, 
Ky.  It  was  reprinted  at  Watervleit,   Ohio,  in  1833. 

In  March  1818,  McNemar  prepared  '^An  address  to  the  people 
of  Ohio,  protesting  against  a  certain  clause  of  the  Militia  Law,  enacted 
by  the  Legislature,  at  their  last  session ;  And  Shewing  the  inconsis- 
tency of  Military  power  interfering  with  persons  or  property  consecrat- 
ed to  the  pious  and  benevolent  purposes  of  the  Gospel."  It  was  pri::'od 
at  Lebanon.  It  concludes  with  a  poem  entitled  **Rights,  Civil  rnd 
Sacred,  Contrasted." 

Owing  to  **the  evil  reports  and  defamatory  statements,  wLich 
for  two  or  three  years  past,  have  been  circulated  through  this  country, 
and  particulary  f rom  the  office  of  the  Western  Star,"  and  *'in  a  pamph- 
let entitled  *An  account  of  the  conduct  of  the  Shakers,'  etc. — published 
by  VanVleet  &  Camron,  Lebanon,  1818,"  McNemar  prepared  '*The 
Other  Side  of  the  Question,"  published  in  Cincinnati,  in  1810.  The 
book  is  in  three  parts,  one  and  two  being  reprints  of  Shaker  documents 
relating  to  Eunice  Chapman  and  Mary  Dyer,  and  part  three  (by  Mc- 
Nemar), being  ** An  account  of  the  proceedings  of  Abram  Van  Vleet, 
Esq.,  and  his  associates,  against  the  said  United  Society  at  Union 
Village,  Ohio."  The  last  contains  fifty  closely  printed  pages. 

In  1823,  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  edit  and  publish  the  third 
edition  of  '^Testimony  of  Christ's  Second  Appearing,"  commonly 
called  the  Shaker  Bible.  This  book  was  originally  written  by  Benja- 
min S.  Youngs,  and  the  first  edition  was  commenced  to  be  printed 
June  15th,  1808.  There  is  no  positive  evidence  that  any  one  assisted 
the  author  in  his  undertaking,  although  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
David  Darrow,  John  Meacham,  and  Richard  McNemar  were  con- 
sulted. Haskett,  in  his  **Shakerism  Unmasked,"  declares  that  it  was 
regarded  as  truth  in  one  of  the  Eastern  Societies  that  the  book  owed  its 
origin  **to  the  talents  and  education  of  McNemar  and  Worley,"  but  un- 
fortunately Haskett  is  not  a  reliable  witness,  as  his  book  too  frequently 
demonstrates.^  The  third  edition  is  the  work  of  both  McNemar  and 
Youngs.  The  edition  was  printed  at  Union  Village,  It  was  commenced 
June  2nd,  1823,  Brownlow  Fisher  and  Joshua  Worley  at  the  press  and 
Andrew  Burnett  and  Andrew  C.  Houston  at  the  case.  The  press  work 
was  finished  Saturday,  October  4th,  1823.  The  interesting  fact  is 
given  us  that  of  the  first  edition  (1808)  there  were  printed  fifteen  hun- 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


45 


AU^.n  1810   twenty-five  hundred,  and   1823,  three  thous- 
dred  copies;  edmon^^^^^^^^  thousand  copies. 

and  copies.    The  fourtn  eaii  '  ^    ^^^^^  edition.  He  gives 

McNemar  is  very  minute  in  his  ^^^^  ^^^^^^^^^^^^     ^^^^^  .^^   unbound, 

a  minute  of    all   who   ^''''"^f^Z^J^^^^^^  with   deer-skins, 

^hen  the  binding  commenced,  how^^  ^^^    ^^^^.^^^ 

how   many  he   individually  bound,    ^^.^'/"T^^ 

own   two   copies   of      A  revision  pleasant   Hill,    Ken- 

pact  of  the  United   Society   called   Shakers     at  Pie 
Tucky."  published  ^t  Harrodsburg^^^^^^^^     ^  t  b^d  bLn'previous.y  en- 
in   securing  the   preBs   ^^  ^  -dsb^^^^^^,,  ,„  ,„  „„eh  of  the  work 
gaged,  and   when    free,  McNemar  w  commenced  in 

nimself.  The  work  was  a  continuation   of  ^^  Lexington,  in 

1828,  when  he  wrote  the  ''Inv-UgaJ^or     ^  P^^  -'^^^^^^        ^.^.^  ,,, 
1828.    It  was  a   defense  ^    J«  «^  ^^^    ^f  ,^,,   ,,,   reprinted   in 

legislative  P--f -g^^^^^^^tt  a'supplement  to  the   'Investiga. 
New  York,  in  1846,  McN^*"^' J'  /,j   ht  pages  of  closely  writ- 

tor,"  which    is   preserved  in  his  diary,  oi  eigu    y  & 

McNemar.  It  was  published,    same  year, 

at  Frankfort,  Ky.,  in  1832,  and  again  in  New  ^or^  ^«^«  ^^  j,_ 

Wright,  P"^l^«*>"^^"™.!-;;''l°ong  other  particulars  it  gives  a  mem- 
to  the  Shakers  in  the  '^'^'-  J'^!'^^,^'  f,l  jgos  to  1831  amounting 
orial  of  all  the  deceases  at  Umon  Village  ^^  important 

in  all  to  one  hundred  and  ninty-six,  besiaes  iwe 


i 


46 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


necessity  of  using  the  press  for  the  communication  of  light  in  the  de- 
fence of  the  gospel  beyond  what  has  heretofore  been  deemed  necessary. 
In  the  early  stages  of  the  work,  there  has  been  more  freedom  of  speeck 
that  on  almost  every  important  occasion  the  gospel  and  the  sacred 
rights  of  Believers  could  be  vindicated  viva  voce.  But  in  the  East 
when  public  difficulties  arise  we  find  them  obviated  in  print, 
pamphlet  after  pamphlet  illustrating  and  supporting  those  sacred 
principles  which  have  long  been  recognized  in  the  covenants  and  other 
writings  of  the  church.  In  courts  of  justice  it  devolves  on  our  hired 
attorneys  to  do  the  speaking,  men  who  collect  their  force  principally 
from  the  letter.  And  it  has  appeared  through  the  course  of  our  legis- 
lation in  Kentucky,  that  from  our  little  blue  books  they  did  collect  a 
surprising  degree  of  light  and  energy.  Yet  after  all  this  lack  of  un- 
derstanding  renders  it  in  many  cases  precarious  to  trust  them  with 
important  business,  without  better  information.'' 

In  all  probability  McNemar  urged  upon  the  Watervleit  Communi- 
ty the  necessity  of  owning  a  printing  outfit,  for  the  members  contributed 
out  of  their  personal  savings  and  purchased  types,  cases  and  a  press, 
which  they  presented  to  him,  to  be  held  as  his  personal  property.  This 
he  took  with  him  on  his  return  to  Union  Village.  The  first  use  he 
made  of  his  press  was  to  republish,  with  corrections  and  additions 
^ 'Brief  Exposition  of  the  Established  Principles  of  the  Believers." 
The  original  of  this  document  embraces  twelve  pages,  while  the  addi- 
tion numbers  twenty-two.  In  this  revision  he  was  assisted  by  David 
Spinning.  The  pamphlet  was  put  out  in  1832.  Since  then  there  have 
been  six  different  reprints.  Of  all  the  pamphlets  put  out  by  the 
Shakers  this  has  been  the  most  popular. 

Under  the  title  of  *^The  Constitution  of  the  United  Society  of  Be- 
lievers," in  1833,  McNemar  published  a  collection  of  sundry  Shaker 
covenants,  general  rules,  «^Brief  Exposition," '^Circular  letter,"  '*Re- 
vision  and  Confirmation,"  poetry  etc.,  embracing  one  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  pages. 

In  1834,  at  Waterleit,  he  printed  and  edited  a  pamphlet 
presenting  the  decision  of  the  Kentucky  Court  of  appeals  relating  to 
the  Shakers.  From  the  pagination  of  this  pamphlet  and  that  used  in 
his  ^^Constitutions,"  it  is  evident  he  intended  to  comprehend  many 
things  m  one  large  book,  which,  for  some  reason,  now  unknown,  was 
abandoned. 

In  1824  McNemar  prepared  for  publication  **The  Moderator,  or 
only  safe  medium  between  the  Old  and  New  manner  of  doctoring."    The 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


4T 


MS.  contains  thir.tyf  our  closely  written  pages.  Why  it  was  not  printed 

"  "' MrN;mar  not  only  kept  a  day-book  but  also  a  diary,  fragments 
of  which  only  remain.  That  part  now  existing  at  Union  Village 
warfound  dismembered  in  a  waste  basket  by  an  aged  sister,  who  care- 

'''''' 'ZTAl:^^^^^^^^^  i^   is  more  than  prob^ 

able  he  kept  a  correct  account  of  all  the  Pf  ^f  f^.^^^^^^^^^ 

tn    This  may  he  proved  in  his  accounts  of  the  third  edition  of    Christ  s 

each  leaving  238  of  the  latter  and  168  of  the  former.  »<>  then  we  ao 
not  know  wLt  was  the  size  of  any  of  the  editions  of  the  booj-vh  f 
L  printed.  It  is  more  than  probahle  that  all  were  «>-":  Jf  ^J^J 
of  the  reasons  why  his  books  are  now  scarce,  and  a  premium  is  readily 

^^^^  ^  KiZrd   MS;mar   was   the   father   of   journalism  among^^ 
Shakers      To  preserve  the  more  important  facts  he  started  'The  We  t 
etriew..  wU  was  P-- ^  ^ ---^J  Cw  hu^ir;:!;"  I 
r;eTr;:trnu^:r:f  ..^^^^^^^^^^^  publhed  ^etemher  .1834 
thlch  is  wTolly  devoted  to  the  life  and  labors  of  David  Darrow.  No.  MI 
;red7uly  UlSBT,  contains  a  f  r.ndly  lette.  to  A  e^^^^^^^^ 
ell  of  Eaton,  Ohio,  and  a  revival   hymn   of    1801       i    ^^ 
orfi^l^  tftken  from  the  "Western  Review  Vol.  6,  p.  ^u*s- 

Nor  d"d  al  his  labors  interfere  with  his  preaching.  Whatever  might 
have  feen  the  cause  of  his  journey,  the  people  were  ever  anx.ous  to 
heir  him  and  on  the  following  Sunday  and  in  the  family  ^/"^hip  he 
I  n'wf  sneaker  "It  was  the  usual  arrangement  that  at  the 
:Zl\  hTL^lt^rship  (round  .uick  dance,  -d  marcMn^ - 
;.e  by  side)  and  the  assembly  -^"-^TirllsTt:  oZ  theLTs'- 
time  was  given  to  any  one  who  -'gl^*;j;l;7;7;^t^''  ,,  ,ee  Richard 
timony.     In  the  silent  moments  of  ^^'*-^' ^^^^^jbute  their  mite 

hLr t.  ste    to  the  head  o^J^^jT or£'Z:lo:^^^ 
length.and  always  adding  to  the   '^^'^^^J'  ^   j^j^  discourses 

the  observer  both  by  his  manner  and  ma  te.     Most  ot 

terminated  in  pleasing  tones  of  poetical  lines.     Then   he   wo 


48 


RICHAKD  McNEMAR 


up  some  favorite  song  and  starting  the  march  up  and  down  the  church 
aisle,  his  hands  and  his  feet  timing  his  voice  while  tracing  the  space 
back  and  forth,  singing  his  song  all  alone.  As  he  thus  worshipped  he 
looked  tall,  more  spare  than  fleshy.  His  form  was  erect,  shoulders 
square,  his  head  large  and  clad  in  a  wealth  of  heavy  straight  black 
hair, combed  smoothly  down  from  the  crown  and  evenly  hanging  across 
the  back  of  his  neck,  touching  his  white  collar.  Now  turning  with 
face  to  the  east  in  his  march  up  the  aisle,  his  visage  in  enraptured 
glow,  his  eyes  upturned  as  drawing  unction  divine,  and  so  inspiring 
his  manifestations  in  the  force  of  his  zeal,  that  it  almost  seemed  the 
heavens  were  opened  to  his  survey. 

^^I  distinctly   remember   the   song,  when  thus  engaged,  I  heard 
him  smg,  which  was  composed  by  himself: 

*My  robe  is  new,  my  crown  is  bright, 

I'm  happy  blest  and  free: 
I  feel  as  little  as  a  mite 

As  lively  as  a  bee. 
I  sip  the  honey  from  the  flower 

That  grows  in  Zion's  yale, 
I  smell  the  odor  form  the  bower 

That  floats  upon  the  gale.' 

-Richard,  thus  marched  along  the  aisle  and  sang  his  song,  his 
unbuttoned  coat  hung  long  and  loose,  disclosed  his  jacket  and  uniform 
church  meeting  suit  of  home  made  texture  of  blue-broad-cloth  •  his 
eyes  large  and  of  a  deep  blue  and  full,  his  eye-brows  long  and  wider 
than  usually  seen,  but  not  overhanging;  nose  long,  thin  and  inclined 
to  the  Roman,  and  full  and  prominent  chin,  greatly  impressed  my 
childish  mind.  The  vision  is  just  as  clear  to  me  today  as  it  was  when 
I  last  saw  and  heard  him  in  the  meeting  house.'' 

Richard  McNemar  was  a  man  of  prayer  and  fully  believed  in 
its  erticacy.  It  was  ever  the  true  guiding  light  in  which  he  supremely 
and  faithfully  trusted.  It  was  well  known  and  often  alluded  to,  that 
he  made  it  an  uncompromising  rule,  that  whenever  he  was  appointed 
to  go  out  on  a  preaching  tour,  or  on  legal  business,  his  time  was  so 
arranged  that  when  he  was  dressed  and  all  the  equipments  for  the 
journey  were  in  readiness,  he  still  had  one-half  hour  to  spare  in  com. 
munion  with  his  God.  In  her  youth,  the  daughter,  Vincy,  went  ta 
him  m  the  evening,  crying  and  said  to  him,  *»I  have  had  bad  luck  all 
day  in  everything  that  I  have  tried  to  do."  Attentively  listening  ta 
her  lament,  he  turned  in  her  face  a  strong,  searching  look  of  concern 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


49 


"fairly  burning  conviction  into  her  conscience,  by  feeling  that  some- 
thing wrong  in  herself  might  have  been  the  main  cause  of  all  her  mis- 
takes through  the  dav,*'  as  she  long  after  related.  He  finally  inquired 
of  her,  after  his  long  studied  look  into  her  countenance:  *'Vincy,  did 
you  kneel  this  morning  when  you  first  arose  from  your  bed?''  *'0  nay," 
she  acknowledged,  '-I  was  in  a  hurry  to  get  to  the  kitchen  and  forgot 
it."  To  this  he  replied:  "If  I  did  not  kneel  in  prayer  when  first 
getting  up  in  the  morning  and  ask  God's  blessing  for  the  day,  I  should 
not  expect  to  have  it." 

On  December  19th,  1838,  in  church  meeting,  Richard  offered  up 
a  prayer  of  thanksgiving  which  so  impressed  the  people  that  two  of  the 
leading  brethren  waited  upon  him,  ia  his  room,  and  requested  him  to 
reduce  it  to  writing.     The  following  is  a  transcript: 

"Mighty  God,  Father  of  all  mercies,  we  humbly  thank  Thee  for 
all  thy  goodness  and  loving  kindness  to  us  and  to  all  the  creation 
to  which  we  are  a  part.  We  bless  Thee  for  our  being, 
our  preservation  and  all  the  comforts  and  blessings  of  life,  national, 
social,  special  and  individual;  but  above  all  for  the  gospel  of  salvation 
by  which  we  are  called  and  separated  from  the  nations  of  the  earth  to 
be  a  consecrated  and  happy  people,  to  do  thy  will  in  earth  as  it  is  done 
in  heaven.  We  humbly  acknowled:^e  thy  gracious  providence  in  cele- 
brating the  free  and  liberal  government  of  these  United  States,  and 
those  just  and  impartial  laws  under  which  we  are  permitted  to  live 
according  to  our  faith  and  conscience  to  serve  thee  with  our  bodies  and 
our  spirits  which  are  thine,  and  none  to  make  us  afraid.  May  we,  O 
God,  learn  to  prize  and  wisely  improve  these  our  great  and  precious 
privileges  to  thy  honor  and  glory,  our  own  comfort  and  salvation,  and 
the  good  and  the  benefit  of  mankind.  And  considering  ourselves  only 
stewards  of  thy  manifold  gifts  and  blessings,  may  our  hearts  ever  be 
open  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  poor  and  needy  according  to  the 
abilities  thou  hast  given,  that  we  may  show  forth  thy  praise,  not  only 
in  word  and  in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth,  by  the  fruits  of  holi- 
ness and  goodness  in  our  daily  lives  and  conversation,  through  our 
spiritual  and  heavenly  parents,  who  are  one  with  thee,  blessed  forever, 
world  without  end.     Amen." 

In  all  that  tended  to  the  welfare  of  his  fellow  man,  Richard  took 
an  early  and  active  part.  His  poem  against  intemperance  must  rank 
among  the  first  produced.  It  is  preserved  in  the  * 'Selection  of  Hymns 
and  Poems,"  and  composed  in  1817,  under  the  title,  **In temperance 
Abdicated." 


50  KICHARD  McNEMAR 

**From  all  intoxicating  drink 

Ancient  Believers  did  abstain  : 
Then  say  good  brethren  do  you  think 

That  such  a  cross  was  all  in  vain? 

Inebriation  we  allow 

First  pav'd  the  way  for  am'rous  deeds, 
Then  why  should  pois'nous  spirits  now 

Be  ranked  among  our  common  needs? 

As  an  apothecary  drug 

Its  wond'rous  virtues  some  will  plead, 

And  hence  we  find  the  stupid  Slug 
A  morning  dram  does  often  need. 

Fatigue,  or  want  of  appetite. 
At  noon  will  crave  a  little  more, 
f  •  And  so  the  same  complaints  at  night. 

Are  juot  as  ardent  as  before. 

By  want  of  sleep,  and  this  and  that, 

His  thirst  for  liquor  is  increas'd, 
Till  he  becomes  a  bloated  sot — 

The  very  scarlet  colored  beast. 

Why  then  should  any  soul  insist 
On  such  pernicious,  pois'nous  stuff! 

Malignant  Spirits,  you're  dismissed! 
You  have  possessed  us  long  enough." 

It  is  true  that  Shakers  upheld  McNemar  in  his  temperance  at- 
titude, for  it  was  one  of  their  cardinal  principles.  Father  Job  Bishop, 
among  the  first  converts  made  by  Ann  Lee,  stated:  **We  do  not  use 
ardent  spirits  in  any  common  way  at  all."  The  following  was  a  church 
rule:  **A11  spirituous  liquors  should  be  kept  under  the  care  of  the 
nurses — that  no  drams,  in  any  case  whatever,  should  be  dispensed 
to  persons  in  common  health,  and  that  frivolous  excuses  of  being  un- 
well should  not  be  admitted." 

Richard  McNemar  was  never  known  to  be  idle.  His  literary 
work  was  done  at  odd  moments  or  at  such  times  when  he  was  away, 
and  business  did  not  press  itself  upon  him.  In  handicraft  but  few  ex- 
celled him,  as  is  testified  to]  by  much  of  his  labor  that  still  remains. 
He  was  just  as  much  at  home  in  the  workshop,  as  in  the  pulpit,  the 
elder's  lot,  or  with  his  pen.  Besides  his  manifold  duties  as  a  help  for 
the  ministry,  he  found  time  to  exercise  his  ingenuity  as  a  workman. 
As  a  mechanic  he  could  construct  a  lathe,  make  a  chair,    bind   a  book 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


51 


or  weave  cloth.  From  November  15th,  1813,  to  December,  1817,  h 
manufactured  757  chairs,  20  big  wheels,  20  little  wheels,  20  reels,  be- 
sides spools  and  whirls.  Up  to  April  15th,  1820,  he  had  made  1366 
chairs  and  from  that  time  until  May,  1821,  the  number  was  1463.  I 
own  a  chair  he  made  for  David  Darrow.  It  is  strong  and  honestly 
made.  He  constructed  a  weaver's  loom  and  was  often  engaged  in 
making  cloth.  He  not  only  bound  books  for  the  Shakers,  but  also  for 
the  people  of  Lebanon,  Ohio.  I  find  his  books  to  be  just  as  sound,  in 
their  binding,  as  if  recently  done. 

There  must  have  been  many  incidents  illustrative  of  McNemar's 
character,  only  one  of  which  has  reached  me.  This  was  frequently 
related  by  Charles  Hampton,  who  always  laughed  loud  and  heartily 
over  it.  In  1822,  the  two  were  sent  to  open  the  testimony  of  Shakers  in  a 
distant  part  of  the  country,  going  on  foot.  One  day  they  passed  along 
the  edge  of  a  forest  which  had  a  fence  separating  it  from  the  cleared 
ground.  About  the  center  of  the  field  a  man  was  ploughing,  and  who, 
upon  seeing  them,  let  go  his  plough,  threw  up  his  hands  and  arms,  and 
yelling  at  the  top  of  his  voice  said  *'Stop!  Stop!  Stop!"  On  the  run 
and  jump  he  came  towards  them.  Richard  went  to  the  fence  and 
awaited  the  stranger's  arrival.  Richard  stood  in  his  machless  manners 
and  grace  which  strongly  marked  his  address  and  presence,  enhanced 
by  being  arrayed,  as  ever  was  his  want,  in  the  cleanest  and  neatest  at- 
tire, when  prepared  to  appear  in  a  gathering  of  his  people.  When  the 
stranger  drew  nigh  he  carefully  looked  both  over,  and  then  bowing,  he 
commanded  :  *Trepare  to  march ! "  Instantly  he  wheeled  around  and 
retraced  his  steps.  Richard  without  a  sign  of  a  smile  or  wasting  a 
word  on  what  had  just  happened,  calmly  resumed  his  onward  course. 
Meanwhile  Charles  was  so  full  of  laughter  that  in  order  to  suppress 
it,  tried  to  keep  behind,  until  the  fit  would  pass  over. 

The  trend  of  Richard's  life,  as  preserved,  would  indicate  tha 
he  was  seriously  inclined.  Though  he  could  and  did  use  satire,  yet  it 
was  upon  that  class  who  needed  to  be  stung.  With  the  timid,  the 
young  and  the  sincere  he  was  ever  a  religious  father  and  friend. 


52 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

PERSECUTION,   EXPULSION,   TRIUMPH  AND   DEATH. 

Only  indirectly  has  it  been  stated  what  was  McNemar's  position 
in  Shakerism.  The  Ministry  in  the  brethren's  lot,  until  1825  was  filled 
by  David  Darrow  and  Solomon  King.  As  Elder  Solomon  stood  second, 
his  duties  were  only  incidental.  The  first  in  the  Ministry  is  practically 
in  sole  charge.  As  all  the  Western  societies  were  under  David  Dar- 
row, it  became  necessary  to  delegate  his  powers  into  the  hands  of  those 
in  whom  he  could  trust.  Sometimes  it  was  necessary  to  put  a  Society 
temporarily  in  the  hands  of  one  person,  and  again  some  one  was  en- 
trusted with  a  special  mission.  Such  persons  were  called  helps  to  the 
Ministry,  and  were  thus  in  the  Ministerial  order.  Such  was  the  posi- 
tion of  Richard  McNemar.  He  was  a  help  to  Darrow  until  his 
decease;  then  to  Solomon  King  until  1836,  when  the  latter  resigned 
and  lived  at  Mount  Lebanon. 

On  the  resignation  of  Solomon  King,  the  position  of  Richard 
McNemar  became  rapidly  changed.  He  was  an  Elder  in  another  sense. 
He  refused  the  first  eldership  at  Union  Village,  owing  to  his  re- 
peated absences  from  home.  However  he  was  always  the  elder  of 
one  of  the  families  at  Union  Village,  usually  the  one  at  the  Brick 
House.  On  his  removal  from  the  Watervleit  Society,  he  was  re- 
leased from  the  eldership  entirely,  whi?h  reduced  him  to  the  ranks. 
He  took  up  his  residence  at  Union  Village,  as  that  was  his  home,  and 
became  a  member  of  the  Church  Family.  The  elders  of  this  family  at 
that  time  were  Stephen  Spinning  and  Andrew  C.  Houston.  Owing  to 
the  high  character  of  Richard  McNemar  and  his  untiring  services  in 
the  mutual  cause,  and  knowing  that  he  would  always  be  busily  and 
righteously  engaged,  the  elders  assigned  him  no  special  duties.  Rich- 
ard was  welcomed  back  to  his  old  home,  for  all  rejoiced  over  his  re- 
turn. He  was  now  easily  reached,  and  counsel  could  be  received  from 
him  without  difficulty.  The  continued  applications  both  to  him  and 
Malcolm  Worley,  for  advice,  encouragement,  consolation  and  religeous 
instruction,  so  rapidly  increased  that  both  applied  to  be  permitted  to 
live  in  the  Office,  which  would  be  more  convenient  for  all  parties  con- 
cerned.    The  reason  why   this   was   denied   and  the  final  results  must 

now  be  told. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  for  a  period  of  over  half   a  century  garb- 
eled  accounts  of  the  expulsion  of   Richard   McNemar   have   been  pub- 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


53 


lished  by  the  enemies  of  the  Shakers,  I  have  thought  it  best  herewith 
to  give  a  full  account  of  the  affair,  and  let  the  wrong  rest  where  it 
deservedly  belongs. 

Freegift  Wells,  a  member  of  the  Watervleit,  N.  Y.  Community 
was  appointed  first  in  the  Western  Ministry,  by  the  Central  or  Mt. 
Lebanon  Ministry.  He  arrived  at  Union  Village  April  27th,  1836,  and 
on  that  day  installed  himself  as  First  Minister  of  the  Society.  Elder  Free- 
gift  was  a  narrow,  bigoted,vain,  ambitious,  self-conceited,  jealous  man. 
Why  able  men  who  lived  at  Union  Village  were  not  chosen  to  fill  that  po- 
sition, can  only  be  accounted  for  on  the  ground  that  Eastern  favorites 
must  precede  all  others.  Freegift  had  some  good  points,  the  best  of 
which  appears  to  have  been  that  he  was  * 'skilled  in  the  handling  of 
tools  from  coarse  common  work  to  the  finest  trinket."  He  could  be  at- 
tentive and  kind,  and  possessed  enough  shrewdness   to   rally   some   to 

his  support. 

It  is  one  of  the  unfortunate  phases  of  human  nature  to  forget  or 
discount  the  laudable  services  which  have  been  rendered,  and  rally  to 
the  support  of  the  untried  and  unknown.  A  statesman  may  be  one 
day  the  nation's  adoration,  and  the  next  day  its  execration.  Too  often 
men  will  turn  against  their  benefactors,  the  true  and  tried  friends, 
and  rally  to  the  one  who  offers  an  inducement  or  wields  power. 

Freegift  Wells  saw  the  popularity  of  both  McNemar  and  Wor- 
ley, and  the  respect  and  veneration  in  which  they  were  held.  His 
jealousy  became  thoroughly  aroused.  He  was  first  in  position  and 
power,and  could  not  brook  the  thought  that  any  member  of  the  Society 
would  seek  counsel  from  any  one  but  himself.  A  broad  minded  man 
would  have  been  thankful  to  McNemar  and  Worley  for  their  willing- 
ness to  relieve  him  of  some  of  the  burdens  of  his  office.  It  is  not  sur- 
prising then,  that  both  McNemar  and  Worley  were  denied  admission 
to  the  Office.  McNemar's  influence  and  popularity  particularly  aroused 
the  spirit  of  Freegift,  in  so  much  so,  that  it  must  be  thoroughly  brok- 
en, The  irritating  process  and  charges  were  put  in  force.  Let  Rich- 
ard speak  for  himself.  The  following  is  an  account  from  his  ''Day 
Book,"  preserved  at  Mt.  Lebanon  N.  Y.  : 

**U.  V.April   18,    1839:  There   is   at    present   some    serious 

bearings  relative  to  my  state  and  standing  as  a  member  of  this  United 
Society  at  Union  Village.  Being  at  this  time  under  suspension  for 
causes  not  clearly  defined  according  to  the  common  rules  of  inflicting 
censure,  but  through  the  influence  of  a  visionary  spirit  that  searches 


PI 


54 


RICHAKD  McNEMAR 


and  judges  the  secrets  of  the  heart  and  from    whose    sentence  there  is 

no  appeal. 

*  It  being  suggested  as  a  principal  cause  of  my  exclusion  from 
union  that  I  felt  above  subject  to  order  and  to  the  rules  of  the 
family  where  I  reside.  To  cast  some  light  on  the  subject  I  insert  the 
following  extracts  from  my  day  book  verbatim  et  literatim. 

Thursday,  January  6,  1837. 

**I  was  called  to  the  ministry's  shop  to  investigate  and  settle 
matters  with  the  Elders,  Stephen  and  Andrew.  After  opening  our 
minds  severally  in  relation  to  times  past,  it  was  admitted  that  I  had 
been  held  in  rather  an  uncomfortable  situation  during  the  period  that 
I  have  been  here,  in  consequence  of  my  singular  situation  in  times 
past  being  ranked  in  the  order  of  the  ministry,  at  least  as  help.  The 
Elders  felt  at  a  loss  to  admit  me  under  their  care  as  a  common  member 
and  that  probably  I  was  not  disposed  to  stoop  to  their  government, 
and  subject  myself  to  their  counsel.  On  this  point  strict  examination 
was  made,  whether  I  had  at  any  time  refused  to  submit  to  the  common 
order  of  the  family,  on  which  I  was  fully  acquitted  as  to  anything 
actual ;  and  after  cancelling  matters  on  all  sides  as  far  as  was  deemed 
necessary,  it  was  agreed  that  the  Elders  had  full  right  and  authority 
to  counsel  and  direct  Eleazar  in  all  matters  relating  to  his  labor  and 
his  privileges  as  a  member  of  the  family.  And  if  they  required  any- 
thing beyond  what  he  was  able  lo  comply  with,  he  had  a  right  to 
plead  his  excuse  and  to  open  to  the  ministry  anything  whatever  con- 
sistent with  the  common  rules  of  freedom  and  if  any  occasion  required 
an  appeal  to  the  primary  authorities  in  the  East — he  was  not  to  be  pro- 
hibited from  making  it  by  letter  at  any  time. 

**In  the  course  of  this  labor  inquiry  was  made  relative  to  the  place 
assigned  me  in  the  family,  and  it  appeared  that  I  had  not  been  told 
where  to  stand,  to  labor  or  to  march  in  meeting,  neither  where  to  sit 
at  table.  It  was  questioned  whether  I  would  be  willing  to  accept  of  a 
place  at  table  that  might  be  assigned  me.  I  replied  that  [  would  be 
willing  to  accept  the  lot  vacated  by  Watch  or  Dragon  (two  dogs 
that  had  been  killed  a  few  days  before).  This  passed  for  a  joke.  *  * 
*  *  * 

**My  labor  thro  this  summer  was  various.  Some-printing,  some 
book  binding,  but  principally  chair-making.  Every  thing  went  smooth- 
ly along  till  about  the  first  of  October,  they  commenced  moving  off  the 
buildings  from  the  East  premises,  to  which  very  much  opposition  was 
felt  among  the  brethren    and    sisters    and    in  which  I  was  (as  I  might 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


55 


say)  irresistibly  forced  to  take  a  part,  which  gave  me  a  kind  of  set  off 
from  the  feelings  of  the  leadership  which  has  admitted  of  no  alleviation, 
but  from  time  to  time  and  from  thing  to  thing  I  have  been  held  and 
treated  as  an  alien  and  not  really  a  member  of  the  body,  not  indeed 
that  I  ever  placed  myself  in  that  condition  or  by  any  means  desired  so 

to  be.     *  *  * 

*'May  5,  1837.  This  is  a  time  of  uncommon  bearing  particularly 
from  jealousies  and  misunderstandings  as  to  my  calling  and  duty.  It 
being  clearly  understood  that  in  composing  the  body  called  the  church 
I  was  reserved  for  the  work  or  service  of  the  ministry  and  not  incor- 
porated with  the  rest  as  a  member. 

**October  7th,  1837.     After  dinner  I  was  called  to  a   conference 
with  Elder  Freegift  and  E.  B.  Stephen,  relative  to  my  state  and  stand- 
ing.    The  conversation    lasted   about   three   hours,    the  import  of  all 
which  was  that  I  never  had  signed    the   church    covenant ;    of   course 
was  not  an  orderly  member  of  the  body;   that   I  had  been  reserved  for 
ministerial  services ;  but  since  the  late  change  in  the  leadship,  my  ser- 
vice was  not  needed,  and    therefore   I  was   under  no    government   nor 
protection ;  no  one  had  any  authority  to  set  me  to  work ;    nevertheless 
that  I  had  worked  faithfully    at   several   branches   of  business,  chair- 
making  weaving  etc.  ;but  was  at  the  call  of  any  who  chose    to    employ 
me;  that  I  was  charged  with  no  moral   evil  or  disorderly  conduce,  yet 
beingentirely  onesideandoutof  thelineof   order   members  were  in- 
quiring what  I  was  about  and  he  (Stephen)    could   not   inform   them. 
Of  course  they  would  be  waked  up  to  feel  against  me  and  hold  me  at  a 
distance  as  not  united  or  joined  to  the  body ;  that  this  I  would    not  be 
able  to  bear  which  would  render  my  condition  very  precarious    indeed 
exceedingly  dangerous ;  that  altho  I  had   been  instrumental    in    doing 
much  g3od,  I  was  evidently  in  danger  of  falling  and    losing  my  crown. 
All  which  was  admitted.     But  what  could  possibly   be    done    that  had 
not  been  done  or  that  I  was  unwilling  to  do?    The   first    express  agree- 
ment  of  January  6th  stands  good,~The  Elders  have  had  and  still  have 
a  right  to  counsel  and  direct  and  I  have  a  right   to   obey   or   to  plead 
excuse  or  to  appeal   to  the  higher  powers ;    if    they    do   not    set  me  to 
work  I  am  not  to  blame  for  that ;  if  they  exclude  me  from    privileges  I 
have  only  to  submit ;  and  if  they  release  themselves    from   having  any- 
thing more  to  do  with  me,  and  give  me  up  to  the  malice  and  scorn  of  a 
misinformed  populace,  I  have  a  right  to    appeal   either   to   the  higher 
authorities  of  the  church  or  submit  myself  to  the  overruling  providence 
of  God.     But  let  no  lying  spirit  attempt  to  rob    me    of  that    conscious 


56 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


w  < 


innocence,  simplicity  and  subjection  that  I  have  maintained   on  to  the 
present  date.     I  have  a  conscience  of  my  own." 

In  this  narrative  there  are  two  points  that  need  special  reference. 
One  is  the  affirmation  that  McNemar  had  not  signed  the  covenant  of 
1829.  His  name  does  not  appear  on  the  covenant  of  1810;  but  I  find 
the  name  **Richard  McNemar"  immediately  under  that  of  Issachar 
Bates,  in  the  Covenant  (as  printed  by  himself)  adopted  at  Watervleit, 
Ohio,  in  January  1833.  But  whether  or  not  his  name  was  attached  to 
that  of  1829,  it  was  a  quibble  raised,  unworthy  of  an  honorable  person, 
when  all  circumstances  have  been  considered. 

Richard  did  take  decided  action  when  the  attempt  was  made  to 
remove  the  residence  at  the  East  Family.  The  land  was  that  donated 
by  Richard  to  the  Society,  and  he  always  felt  a  special  interest  in  it. 
The  building  was  being  moved  off  the  premises  without  his  knowledge. 
He  saw  the  action  from  his  window,  and  running  out  called  upon  the 
men  to  desist,  with  which  order  they  complied. 

While  Richard  was  in  the  midst  of  his    troubles    the  ditticulties 
were  aggravated  by  one  Randolf  West,  who  had  been  for  some  years  a 
covenant  member.     He  had  learned  to  imitate  Richard's   handwriting, 
and  then  wrote  scurrilous  scraps  and  placed  them,  where  Elder  Freegift 
would  be  sure  to  find  them.     This  greatly  enraged  Freegift,  who  could 
not  otherwise  be  persuaded  than  that  these  papers  were  the  product  of 
Richard.     To  prove  fiis  he  sent  in  various   directions    for   the  known 
chirography  of  Richard.     The  greater    the    attempt   to    persuade  him 
that  Richard  was  incapable  of  doing   such   an    act,  the  greater  was  his 
determination  to  believe  that  he  was  guilty.  Eldress  Betsey  Hastings, 
who  stood  first  in  the  Ministry  in    the    Sisters'    Lot,   thought  Freegift 
foolish  to  take  such  a  stand.     She  was    too    high   minded    to  deny  the 
accusation,  reposing  full  confidence  in  Richard's    integrity.       Richard 
himself  took  no  part  in  the  matter,  holding  it  to  be  beneath  his  notice, 
nor  did  his  friends  take  any  steps  to  ferret  out  the  culprit.     As  a  final 
resort  for  proof  Freegift  called  on  the  mediums  to  have  the   matter  re- 
vealed by  spirits.     Months  after  the  death  of  Richard,  the  perpetrator 
in  an  unguarded  moment,  betrayed  himself.  .Suspicion  had  never  rested 
upon  him.     He  left  the  village,  and  two  years  later  committed  suicide 
by  hanging. 

During  these  measures,  instituted  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  by 
Freegift,  not  one  of  which  he  frowned  upon,  there  was  a  potent,  unseen 
force  steadily  at  work  in  his  behalf.  At  Watervleit,  N.  Y.,  Spiritual- 
ism had  broken  out  during  the  latter   part   of  the  year  IsW,  through 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


57 


the  instrumentality  of  Ann  Maria  Goff,  and  soon  after  spread  through 
all  the  Shaker  Communities.  Reports  of  spiritual  revelations  from 
various  Societies,  reaching  Union  Village  greatly  excited  Freegift' s 
mind.  South  Union  and  Pleasant  Hill  were  aglow  with  visions,  which 
caused  wonder  at  Union  Village  why  they  were  not  so  blest.  The  first 
intelligent  outbreak  at  Union  Village  occurred  on  August  26th,  1838, 
On  that  day  **Elder  Freegift  read  a  letter  from  the  ministry  at  Pleasant 
Hill,  and  after  reading,  he  spoke  some  concerning  this  marvelous  work 
of  God  that  was  going  on  in  other  Societies  of  Believers,  and  said  con- 
fidently that'  we  should  be  visited  in  like  manner  without  doubt.  After 
he  had  concluded  a  song  was  pitched  up,  and  shaking  commenced,  and 
it  appeared  almost  like  electricity;  the  p^wer  of  God  seemed  to  shower 
upon  the  assembly,  and  to  a  number  it  appeared  to  be  irresistible." 
About  this  time  involuntary  exercise,  such  as  jerks,  occurred  in  a  few 
instances.  During  the  latter  part  of  October  ^'several  individuals  hear 
heavenly  sounds  of  trumpets,  instrumental  music,  singing,  etc."  For 
November  18th,  the  record  states  that  '*the  supernatural  work  of  God 
(which  the  Shakers  still  calP'Mother's  Work"  ie  The  Holy  Spirit's 
work)  in  its  new  increase,  has  now  broken  out  into  an  open  flame  in 
the  young  order  of  Believers  at  the  West  Section.  The  powerful  bodily 
operations  and  heart-searching  conviction  that  accompanies  it,  battles 
all  attempts  at  description."  For  November  20th,  the  record  has  it 
that  * 'sometimes  the  visionist  will  lie  for  hours  abstracted  from  things 
of  time."  During  the  early  stages  of  these  manifestations  the 
phenomena  consisted  in  bodily  operations,  visions,  new  and  heav- 
enly songs,  and  powerful  testimonies  "against  sin,  hypocracy  and  in- 
sincerity;"  but  about  the  beginning  of  April  1839,  the  work  took  a 
phase  which  was  pushed  to  an  extreme,  in  several  directions,  which 
the  leaders  appeared  unwilling  to  interfere  with  or  modify.  In  all 
probability  the  most  extravagant  actions  will  never  be  known. 
Oliver  C.  Hampton,  a  pronounced  spiritualist,  who  passed  through  the 
seige,  which  lasted  until  1847,  in  his  MS.  history  of  Union  Village, 
speaks  of  then  as  'indiscretions"  which  were  ''finally  corrected,  con- 
doned and  reconciled  among  all  parties."  Again  he  says  that  -'the 
vail  of  oblivion"  should  be  drawn  over  some  of  the  extravagances, 
and  they  should  "rest  in  eternal  sleep."  And  agtfin,  "in  looking  back 
over  the  whole  ground  covered  by  it,  we  are  able  to  see  many  things 
which  happened  during  its  advent  that  were  the  consequences  of  a 
want  of  wisdom  in  the  leaders  of  the  Society ;  yet,  when  these  un- 
toward  features  are  allowed  their  full  weight  and  measure,  there  stiP 


58 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


5^ 


remains    a     precious     residuum,     outweighing     all     the     eccentric^ 
and,  in  some  cases,  unfortunate  features  of  their  work  amongst  us." 

To  pursue  this  question  any  farther  would  be  contrary  to  the 
purpose  of  this  narrative,  only  in  so  far  as  Richard  McNemar  is  con- 
cerned. 

In  the  community,  at  this  time,  was  a  recent  convert,  not  long 
arrived  from  Ireland, — one  Margaret  O'Brian.  She  was  among  the 
earliest  sensitives,  and  her  **gift  was  most  beautiful,"  but  her  art  soon 
became  exhausted.  Freegift  continually  hounded  her  for  more  revela- 
tions, and  in  order  to  please  him  she  tried  to  continue  in  her  art. 

During  the  changing  scenes  presented  by  the  mediums  Richard 
McNemar  and  Malcolm  Worley  were  silent  spectators.  What  were 
their  actual  views  no  one  knew,  for  they  neither  sanctioned  nor  op- 
posed the  new  cult.  On  the  other  hand  Freegift  was  in  his  element^ 
and  it  was  unspeakable  pleasure  to  receive  ''the  baskets  of  flowers  and 
rubies,  pearls  and  diamonds  the  angels  sent  him  through  the  inspired 
instruments."  His  watchful  eye  soon  detected  that  neither  Richard 
nor  Malcolm  took  any  part  in  these  demonstrations.  This  was  a  mat- 
ter of  grave  offense,  for  which  he  severely  reproved  the  two  aged 
brethren,  bat  without  any  indications  of  reformation. 

The  jealousy    felt    by  Freegift   towards    Richard   and  Malcolm 
was  a  matter  of  notoriety  in  the  village.  Margaret  O'Brian  saw  that  he 
was   provoked   at  the  supposed  stubborness  of  the  two  rivals.  So,  she, 
was  suddenly  seized  with  a  revelation   from  Mother  Ann  Lee,  and  in 
church    meeting,    in   the    presence    of    all  the  various  families,  loudly 
called,  "Elder  Richard,  step  forth!  I  have   a    revelation   from  Mother 
Ann."  Richard  arose  from  his  seat  and  quietly  moved  into  the    direct 
presence  of  Margaret.  The  revelation   was  an   upbraiding  of  the   un- 
offending Richard.  When  she    desisted,    without    uttering  a  word,  he 
resumed  his  seat,  as  though  nothing  had  happened.  Then   dancing  to- 
wards him  she  struck  up  a  song,   which  she  had  composed  for  the  oc- 
casion, and  in   it  said,  "Your    proud    spirit   shall  be   brought    low." 
Freegift  was   happy.    His    hated  rival  had  been  humiliated  before  the 
entire  congregation. 

'■"  *  Just  how  far  Freegift  had  a  hand  in  this  transaction  will  never 
belcnown.  It  is  probable  that  Margaret  read  ^  him  closely,  and  worked 
upon  his  vanity.  Soon  after  Mother  Ann  again  took  possession  of 
Margaret  and  revealed,  in  a  family  meeting,  to  the  willing  ears  of 
Freegift,  that  Believers  made  idols  out  of  Richard  McNemar,  Garner 
McNemar  and  Malcoln  Worley,  and  as  such  they   must  be  removed  out 


r  f 


tfJS   ^l.3.i: 


of  the  Society.  This  revelation  was  a  sweet  smelling  balm  in  the  nos- 
trils of  Freegift, — it  was  a  potion  sweeter  than  honey  to  his  taste. 
His  hated  rivals  were  now  to  be  disgraced  and  he  should  be  freed  from 
their  presence.  The  edict  immediately  went  forth  that  the&e  brethern 
should  no  longer  be  numbered  among  the  faithful,  nor  should  they 
live  among  the  Believers.  The  community  was  appalled  when  they 
learned  of  the  decision.  All  felt  that  a  great  calamity  had  befallen 
them.  There  was  sorrow,  crying  and  despair.  Great  hot  tears  rolled 
down  the  cheeks  of  Eldress  Malinda  Watts  and  other  sisters  who  had 
long  realized  the  true  worth  of  these  disgraced  brethern.  Freegift 
stood  undaunted,  a  proud  victor  in  the  fray.  Mother  Ann  Lee  had 
spoken  the  word,  and  for  authority,  there  was  the  testimony  of  Mar- 
garet O'Brian.  Had  Margaret  rendered  any  services  to  Shakerism 
during  her  short  membership?  Yea,  verily,  she  was  the  mouth  piece  of 
Mother  Ann,  and  that  should  weigh  against  the  thirty  four  years  of 
faithful  service  rendered  by  Richard,  Malcolm  and  Garner.  These 
brethern  had  never  violated  the  covenant,  and  never  had  waivered. 
They  had  been  tried,  even  as  by  fire,  and  never  were  found  wanting. 

If  the  picture  were  touched  by  the  hand  of  romance  it  would  be 
somewhat  after  the  following  similitude  :  The  veteran  Richard  stood  be- 
fore his  prosecutor, judge  and  executioner, humble  in  spirit  to  plead  his 
case  and  ask  a  stay  of  proceedings,  while  Freegift  gloated  over  his 
triumph.  "Listen,  Elder  Freegift,  I  plead  with  thee  to  hear  me  before 
final  action  is  taken.  Pity  the  sorrows  of  a  poor  old  man.  In  less  than 
two  years  I  will  have  passed  the  period  of  man's  allotted  time  on  earth,- 
the  three  score  years  and  ten.  It  is  too  late  in  life  for  me  to  struggle 
for  a  living.  My  ways,  my  thoughts  and  my  manners  are  those  of  the 
Shakers,  and  the  cold  world  will  frown  upon  me.  I  must  die  of  starva- 
tion. Look  to  the  East  aad  you  will  see  the  fairest  lands  of  the  Shak- 
ers, either  East  or  West.  That  once  was  my  happy  home.  I  surrendered 
it  to  the  holy  cause;  I  gave  up  home  and  family,  and  now  will  you 
turn  me  penniless  from  your  midst?"  Richard  paused  for  a  moment, 
and  then  continued:  "No  one  has  been  more  faithful,  no  one  has  en- 
dured more  privations;  I  have  waded  through  rivers  amidst  the  ice; 
I  have  traversed  swamps,  and  plunged  through  snow  and  forests;  I 
have  frozen  my  limbs,  in  the  holy  cause,  and  will  not  this  save  me 
from  the  sentence  under  which  I  now  rest?"  Freegift  uttered  not  a 
word.  ''I  have  sacredly  kept  the  coveaant,  and  have  been  the  trusted 
servant  of  Elder  D  ivid  and  Elder  Solomon.  Call  together  all  the  Be- 
lievers   in    the   W.'stei-n   S  >ciefcies,    and   ev^n    .ill  cliose  in  such  of   the 


60 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


Eastern  as  I  have  visited,  and  ask  if  there  is  even  one  to  whqm  I  have 
been  a  cause  of  offense.  If  they  will  speak  truly  they  will  say  that  all 
my  actions  have  inured  to  their  benefit.  If  counsel  was  needed,  it  was 
just  as  freely  given,  and  whosoever  approached  me  that  one  was 
never  turned  away.  Listen  Elder  Freegift !  I  have  never  eaten  the 
bread  of  idleness.  Wherever  I  have  been, no  one  has  ever  seen  me  idling 
away  my  time.  When  not  engaged  as  a  help  to  the  Ministry  I  have 
more  than  earned  my  keeping  in  the  workshops.  I  call  thee  to  wit- 
ness if  I  have  not  been  busily  engaged  weaving  cloth,  making  chairs, 
and  binding  books  during  your  brief  administration?"  Freegift  gave 
no  response.  '^Listen  to  me  a  little  longer,  I  pray  thee  Elder  Freegift. 
In  yonder  graveyard  rest  the  remains  of  my  beloved  children  Benja- 
min, Elisha,  and  Betsey,  and  there  I  expect  to  bury  my  beloved  wife, 
Jenny,  and  there  may  all  my  other  children  ultimately  be  interred. 
With  my  kindred  dust  I  also  desire  to  be  entombed.  In  the  course  of 
nature  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  I  shall  ba  called  hence.  Will 
you,0,Elder  Freegift!  deny  me  this  last  boon?"  Richard  pled  in  vain. 
Just  as  well  might  he  have  addressed  an  image  of  stone. 

Let  us  turn  our  eyes  in  another  direction.  Some  of  the  vision- 
ists  were  not  slow  to  take  advantage  of  their  gifts.  At  Alfred,  Maine, 
this  class  early  began  to  make  trouble,  and  declared  they  were  in- 
spired by  Mother  Ann,  and  from  her  the  revelation  came  that  such 
and  such  a  one  should  be  expelled.  Elder  Elisha  Pote,  the  father  of 
Shakerism  in  Maine,  was  still  alive, though  at  a  greatly  advanced  ao-e, 
yet  with  a  clear  mind.  When  that  declaration  came  he  said,  ''These 
revelations  must  be  stopped."  The  medium  answered,  "It  is  Mother's 
voice."  Springing  up  on  the  floor  the  venerable  father  exclaimed,  '*It 
is  the  voice  of  the  mother  of  harlots!"  Then  turning  to  the  congrega- 
tion he  proceeded  to  instruct  the  people  that  the  Covenant  was  the 
bases  upon  which  they  should  stand;  that  no  revelation  received  by 
the  visionists  could  supercede  that.  At  another  time  an  offensive  meas- 
ure was  about  to  be  executed  in  the  same  Society;  the  brethern  called 
a  meeting  by  themselves  and  protested,  and  gave  out  word  that  "they 
would  close  the  Meeting- House ;  that  they  would  have  no  Ministry,  if 
the  proposition  was  effected.  Immediately  the    matter   was   adjusted. 

At  Mount  Lebanon  the  visionists  were  not  allowed  to  transcend 
the  authority  of  the  Elders  where  they  resided,  although  great  lati- 
tude was  permitted  them.  The  messages  were  of  no  authority  unless 
approved  by]|the  Elders  or  Ministry.  '*It  is  a  fundamental  principle  of 
our  system  that  the  head  for   the   direction  of  the   visible  body,  is 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


61 


our  leaders;  and  no  gift  or  direction  from  the  spirit  world  has  any 
force  without  their  approbation.  That  was  one  test  for  excluding 
disorderly  spirits." 

While  Freegift  Wells  was  rejoicing  over  his  triumph  the  soul& 
of  Richard,  Malcolm  and  Garner  were  serene.  They  made  no  outcry, 
nor  plotted  treason.  Richard  was  long-headed  and  all  his  friends  re- 
posed confidence  in  his  judgment.  He  knew  fully  the  lessons  of  Saker- 
ism  and  had  an  abiding  faith  in  its  justice.  He  knew  that  Freegift 
was  now  in  the  act  of  violating  both  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  Coven- 
ant, as  well  as  the  organic  law  of  the  State.  He  determined  to  place 
his  reliance  in  the  principles  of  his  sect,  and  to  them  he  looked  for 
redress. 

Freegift  determined  to  put  the  revelations  of  Margaret  into 
immediate  effect,  and  he  would  countenance  no  delay.  Garner  was 
old  and  almost  entirely  helpless  having  lost  the  use  of  his  legs.  It 
was  decided  to  board  him  in  the  house  of  one  of  the  tenants.  Malcolm 
was  aged  and  infirm.  Ithamar  Johnson  was  directed  to  take  him  ta 
Brown  County,  and  there  to  hire  his  board.  Ithamar  said,  in  sorrow- 
ful tones  that  this  was  the  greatest  trial  of  his  life.  Richard  was  ta 
be  dropped  in  the  streets  of  Lebanon.  Out  of  the  magnanimity  of  his 
heart  Freegift  had  placed  the  old  hand  printing  press,*  given  to  Rich- 
ard at  Watervleit,  in  the  wagon  that  was  to  carry  McNemar  away. 
In  the  streets  of  Lebanon  Richard  could  earn  his  living  by  the  aid  of 
his  press.  Richard  had  other  thoughts;  with  him  he  took  nothing 
save  that  which  would  supply  his  immediate  wants.  Reaching  Leba- 
non he  asked  the  driver  to  set  him  out  in  front  of  the  residence  of 
Judge  Francis  Dunlavy.  The  Judge  himself  responded  to  the  rapping 
on  the  door.  Richard  requested  permission  to  be  a  guest  in  his  home 
until  he  could  communicate  with  Mt.  Lebanon.  He  was  welcomed  to 
partake  of  the  hospitality  of  the  Dunlavy  home.  Richard  wrote  a 
full  statement  of  the  recent  transactions  and  forwarded  the  same  to 
the  Central  Ministry.  Word  came  back  directing  him  to  take  his  im- 
mediate departure  for  Mt.  Lebanon.  When  he  reached  that  place,  the 
case  was  placed    wholly  in  the   hands  of  Rufus    Bishop,  second  in    the 

*The  handpress  was  returned  to  Union  Village,  and  on  Richard's  re- 
turn he  presented  it  to  Richard  W.  Pelham,  who  published  manv  of  his 
tracts  with  it.  The  botanical  catalogues  of  1847  and  1850  were  printed  on  it. 
Oliver  C.  Hampton  printed  on  it  his  ''Musical  Messenger,  a  compilation  of 
hymns,  slow  and  quick  marches,  etc.,  used  in  worship  by  Believers."  It  is 
probable  that  the  journal,  *'Day— Star,"  and  the  book  ^'Condition  of  Socie- 
ty" were  also  printed  on  it.  The  last  known  of  the  press  it  was  at  the  North 
Family. 


62 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


68 


Ministry.  This  was  during  the  month  of  June  1839.  Rufus  dispatched 
to  Watervleit,  N.  Y.,  for  the  expert  medium  in  that  Society.  She  im- 
mediately set  out  for  Mt.  Lebanon.  After  her  arrival  there  she  took 
her  position  close  by  the  side  of  Richard  and  Rufus,  and  then  passed 
into  the  trance  state.  She  traveled  over  the  journey  of  Richard.  The  up- 
shot of  the  whole  matter  was  that  the  expelled  brethern  should  be  re- 
turned to  the  community,  with  a  circular  letter  directing  the  manage- 
ment of  the  visionists.  The  placing  of  Margaret  O'Brian  in  her  proper 
position  so  incensed  her  that  she  left  the  Society. 

I  have  put  forth  every  endeavor  to  discover  whether  or  not  any 
word  of  censure  was  passed  on  Freegift.  Common  justice  would  de- 
mand his  immediate  removal.  This  did  not  occur  until  July  1843, 
when  he  was  recalled  to  Watervleit,  N.  Y.,  to  become  an  elder  in  one 
of  the  families  there. 

Great  were  the  rejoicings  at  Union  Village  when  Richard  arriv- 
ed. On  the  following  Sunday  the  young  brethern  carried  him  to  the 
Meeting  House  in  a  chair.  At  the  proper  time  a  demand  was  made  that 
he  should  address  them.  On  being  carried  to  the  center  of  the  floor, 
he  slowly  arose  and  supporting  himself  by  the  chair,  his  eyes  filled 
with  tears,  he  began  his  message.  He  recounted  some  of  his  labors 
in  their  behalf,  told  them  how  he  loved  them,  and  as  the  orator  pro- 
ceeded many  broke  down  in  tears,  and  sobbing  could  be  heard  from 
every  part  of  the  house.  Finally  turning  towards  Freegift,  and  stretch- 
forth  his  arms,  with  tears  rolling  down  his  cheeks,  and  with  trembling 
voice,  he  said  **Elder  Freegift,  I  have  always  loved  you.  There  never 
has  been  a  moment  when  I  entertained  even  the  least  ill-feeling  to- 
wards you" — what  think  you  gentle  reader?  Freegift  did  not  allow 
the  venerable  speaker  to  finish  his  sentence.  Rushing  upon  him  Free- 
gift  threw  his  arms  around  Richard,  and  declared  that  he  had  always 
loved  him ! ! ! !  I  have  no  words  of  comment.  Let  others  fill  up  the 
blank. 

The  journey  to  and  from  Mt.  Lebanon,  with  all  the  attendant 
•circumstances,  proved  too  much  for  Richard  McNemar.  To  this  must 
be  added  age  and  a  long  standing  infirmity — weakness  of  stomach, 
which  also  affected  his  son  James  and  daughter  Vincy — which  sorely 
distressed  him.  Soon  after  his  return  Richard  passed  into  the  great 
beyond. 

Richard  McNemar  departed  this  life  at  about  8  o'clock,  Sunday 
evening,  September  15th,  1839.  He  lies  buried  amidst  his  kindred 
-dust,  in   the   graveyard,  marked  by   tall   pines,    a  little  south  of  the 


V 


OflSce  at  Union  Village,  in  an  unmarked  and  an  unknown  grave.  In 
the  same  place  rest  the  remains  of  all  the  distinguished  dead  of 
Union  Village. 

The  memorial  poem,  which  Richard  McNemar  wrote  on  the 
death  of  David  Darrow,  with  a  slight  change,  could  be  applied  to  him- 
self : 

*'He  was  a  cross-bearer,  we  all  must  agree ; 

His  faithfulness  none  can  dispute. 
Yea,  from  the  beginning,  this  flowering  tree 

Could  always  be  known  by  his  fruit. 
Among  the  first  plants  on  American  soil, 

His  standing  he  firmly  maintained. 
And  shar'd  with  Believers  the  labor  and  toil. 

By  which  gospel  freedom  was  gain'd.' 


>> 


Note.— As  an  act  of  justice  it  is  due  Alonzo  G.  Hollister  and  Sister 
Susannah  C.  Liddell,  both  Shakers  of  the  old  school,and  rich  m  reminis- 
cences,to  acknowledge  that  much  of  the  original  matter  used  in  this  sketch 
was  furnished  by  them.  Without  the  timely  subscriptions  of  thirty  copies 
each  from  Elder  Arthur  Bruce,  East  Canterbury,  Elder  Charles  H.  Sturr, 
Whitewater,Eldres8  Anna  White,Mt.  Lebanon ,Eldress  Miriam  Offord,En- 
field,  Eldress  Sophia  Helfrech  Hancock  and  Sister  Aurelia  G.  Mace, 
Sabbathday  Lake  this  publication  would  still  be  in  manuscript. 

Franklin,  O.,  June  4, 1905. 


64 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


BIBLIOGRAPHY. 


Many  of  the  publications  of  Richard  McNemar  have  passed 
out  of  knowledge.  Since  this  book  was  sent  to  the  printer  my  attention 
has  been  called  to  No.  418,  of  my  ^^Bibliography  of  Shaker  Literature," 
with  the  statement  that  said  number  should  be  credited  to  Richard 
McNemar ;  that  the  discourses  were  so  highly  pleasing  to  David 
Darrow  that  he  caused  them  to  be  published  in  pamphlet  form.  The 
following  is  as  complete  a  bibliography  of  Richard's  books  as  I  have 
been  able  to  compile.  The  figures  on  the  left  correspond  with  those 
used  in  "Bibliography  of  Shaker  Literature,"  when  the  number  is 
accompanied  by  an  asterisk  (*)  it  shows  he  was  an  assistant  editor. 

*  1.     Account  of  some  of  the    proceedings  of  the    Legislatures 

of  the  States  of  Kentucky  and  New    Hampshire,    1828  etc.,    in  relation 

to   the  people    called    Shakers.     New    York,  Egbert,    Hovey    <(•  King, 

printers,  1846.   103  pp.  12  mo. 

This  edition  embraces  pamphlets  Nos.  349,  473,  and  *'some  account  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  Legislature  of  New  Hampshire  in  relation  to  the 
people  called  Shakers  in  1828. 

*  14.  Constitution  (The)  of  the  United  Societies  of  Believers 
(called  Shakers)  containing  sundry  covenants  and  articles  of  agree- 
ment definitive  of  the  legal  grounds  of  the  institution.  [Compiled  by 
Richard  McNemar].    Watervleit,  (Ohio),  1833.   138  pp.  16  mo. 

65.  The  KENxucky  revival ;  or,  a  short  history  of  the  late  ex- 
traordinary outpouring  of  the  spirit  of  God  in  the  western  states  of 
America,  agreeably  to  scripture  promises  and  prophecies  concerning 
the  latter  day:  with  a  brief  accou  at  of  the  entrance  and  progress  of 
what  the  world  called  Shakerism  among  the  subjects  of  the  late  revival 
in  Ohio  and  Kentucky.  Presented  to  the  true  Zion  traveller  as  a  mem- 
orial of  the  wilderness  journey.  Cincinnati:  from  the  press  of  John  W, 
Browne,  1807.  143  pp.  12  mo.  This  copy  belonged  to  David  Dar- 
row. 

66.     .   Cincinnati  printed:  Albany:  reprinted  by  E.  and  E, 

Hosford,   1808.   12  mo. 

67.     .  Pittsfield:    reprinted   by    Phineas   Allen,  1808.    176 

pp.  12  mo, 

69.     .  Third  edition.  Union   Village,  1837. 


70. 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


•.  yew  York :  reprinted   by   Edward  0.    Jenkins^ 


65 


1846.  156  pp.  12  mo, 

*  76.  Other  (The)  side  of  the  question.  In  three  part3.  I.  An 
explanation  of  the  proceedings  of  Eunice  Chapman  and  the  legisUture, 
against  the  United  Society,  called  Shakers,  in  the  State  of  New  York. 
II.  A  refutation  of  the  false  statements  of  Mary  Dyer  against  the  said 
Society,  in  the  State  of  New  Hampshire.  III.  An  account  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  Abram  VanVleet,  Esq.,  and  hie  associates,  against  the 
said  United  Society  at  Union  Village,  Ohio,  comprising  a  general  vin- 
dication of  the  character  of  mother  and  the  elders  against  the  attacks 
of  public  slander — the  edicts  of  a  prejudiced  party — and  the  misguided 
zeal  of  lawless  mobs.  Published  by  order  of  the  United  Society  of 
Union  Village,  Ohio.  Cmcinwa/i :  Looker,  Reynolds  &  Co.,  printers, 
1819.  164  pp.   16  mo. 

80.  Philos  Harmoniae.  pseud,  of  McNemar.  A  selection  of 
hymns  and  poems ;  for  the  use  of  believers.  Collected  from  sundry 
authors.  Watervleit,  Ohio,  1833.  184  pp.,  4  1.  16  mo, 

A  little  selection  of  choice  poetry,    new  and  old,    doctrinal  and 
devotional,  submitted  to  the  patronage  of  the  pious.  By  E.  W.  (C.  S.) 
A     ^         Watervleit,  Ohio,  1885.  55  pp. 

*  103.  Testimony  (The),  of  Christ's  second  appearing ;  con- 
taining a  general  statement  of  all  things  pertaining  to  the  faith  and 
practice  of  the  church  of  God  in  this  latter  day.  Published  in  Union 
by  order  of  the  Ministry.  Third  edition  corrected  and  improved.  Union 
Village,  (Ohio):  B.  Fisher  A ,  A,  Burnett,  printers,  1823.  XXXVI. 
576  pp.  12  mo, 

110.  Address  (An)  to  the  state  of  Ohio,  protesting  against  a 
certain  clause  of  the  militia  law,  enacted  by  the  legislature,  at  their 
last  session ;  and  showing  the  inconsistency  of  military  power  inter- 
fering with  persons  or  property  consecrated  to  the  pious  and  benevo- 
lent purposes  of  the  gospel.  Lebanon,  Ohio:  Printed  at  the  offlce  of  the 
Farmer,  by  George  Smith,  March  1818.  24  pp.  12  mo, 

*  150.  Brief  (A)  exposition  of  the  established  principles  and 
regulations  of  the  United  Society  of  Believers,  called  Shakers,  Printed 
at  Albany,  in  the  year  1830 ;  [Calvin  Green  and  Seth  Youngs  Wells] ; 
and  now  reprinted,  with  sundry  improvements  suggested  by  the 
author.    Watervleit,   Ohio,  1832.  36  pp.  12  mo. 

*  lil.     .    Improved     edition.     Albany:      Hoffman   E. 

White,  1834.  36  pp.  12  mo. 


(i6 


152. 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


Improved    edition.    New    York :  Edward    0, 


pTenkivs,  184(5.  36  pp.  12  mo. 

*  163.     .  Improved   edition.    Hartford:  Press  of  Elihu 

Geer,  1850.  36  pp.  12  mo, 

*  154.     .  New  York  :   Edward    O.  Jenkins^  1851.  80  pp. 

12  mo. 

*  155.     .  2^ew  York:  E,  8.  Dodge    Printing    Co,,  1879. 

30  pp.  12  mo, 

*  482.     .  Improved  edition.    Canterbury,    N,  H,    1895. 

27  pp.   12  7no. 

190  Concise  (A)  answer  to  the  general  inquiry  who,  or  what 
are  the  Shakers.  [By  Richard  McNemar.]  A  hymn,  composed  by 
Samuel  Hooser.   Union    Village,  1823.    12  pp    32  mo, 

(Poem.) 

191     .   Union  Village,  1825.   8  pp.  24  mo. 

192. .  EnJield,N.  H.:  Albion  Chase,  printer,  1825. 14  pp. 

24  mo, 

193.  .  dialogue*  between  the  church  and  the  old  gentle- 
man (added).  Stockbridge,  1826.  16  pp.  16 mo. 

194.  (as  No.  191)  Hartford:  Review  Office  Print,  1835. 
17  pp.   16  mo, 

195.     

196.     


•.  (as  No.  190)    North    Union,  1841.  16  pp.    32  mo, 
',  North  Union,  1844.  16  pp.  32  mo. 


Union  Village.  1868.  8pp.   16  mo. 


*  205.  Decision  (The)  of  the  court  of  appeal?,  (Kentucky), 
in  a  case  of  much  interest  to  religious  communities  in  general,  a'ld  to 
the  Shakers  in  particular.  To  which  is  prefixed  a  brief  illustration  of 
the  grounds  of  action.  Dayton,  Ohio,  1834.  66  pp.  16  mo. 

349  Investigator  ;  or,  a  defence  of  the  order,  go vernmert  and  econ- 
omy of  the  United  Society  called  Shakers,  against  sundry  charges  and 
legislative  proceedings.  Addressed  to  the  political  world  by  the  Socie- 
ty of  Believers  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Ky.  Lexington,  Ky.:  Smith  <t  Palmer, 
1828.  47  pp.  12  mo. 

369  A  friendly  letter  to  Alexander  Mitchell.  A  solitary  Christ- 
ian oPEaton,Ohio;  in  answer  to  his  **religious  circular  lately  present- 
ed to  the  public,  dated  June,  1837.  Union  Village  July  15,  1837. 
[Western  Review;  No.  VH.]  Broadside,  8  vo, 

370.     .  The   life   and    labors   of  father   David    Darrow. 

Watervleit,  Ohio,  1834.  12  pp.  12  mo.  (Western  Review.) 


H, 


RICHARD  McNEMAR 


67 


>. 


I)        ^ 


^ 


:k 


371 .  Journal  of  Peter  Pease.  (A  fragment  from  West- 
ern Review.  19-22  pp.  from  Dec.  5,  1806  to  March,   1810.)  12  mo, 

372. .  Shakerism  detected.    (A    pamphlet   published  by 

Col.  James  Smith,  of  Kentucky)  examined  and  r*?futed  in  five  pro- 
positions; published  at  Lebanon,  (O.)  and  Lexington,  (K.)  in  1811. 
Reprinted  by  request.    WatervUet,    Ohio,    May    8,    1833.  12  pp.  16  mo, 

373.     .  A  thumb  paper.  Captain  Me  Big  (  Union  Village), 

1828.  9  pp.  32  mo.  (Poems.) 

386.  Names  ("Let)  and  sects  and  parties  accost  my  ears  no 
more;" — '*how  precious  is  the  way  of  God."  (Both  by  Richard  Mc- 
Nemar.) 2  pp.  8  mo.  (Poems.) 

*  418  Public  discourses  delivered  (in  substance)  at  Union 
Village,  August,  1823,  and  prepared  for  publication  by  order  of 
the  Ministry.  (Union  Village).  36  pp.  12  mo. 

*  425.  Revision  (A)  and  confirmation  of  the  social  compact 
of  the  United  Society,  called  Shakers,  at  Pleasant  Hill,  Ky.  Harrods- 
burg,  Ky.  :   Randall  tfc  Jones,  1830.  12  pp.  16  mo. 

At  the  same  time  and  place  "A  Remonstance"  to  the  legisla- 
ture of  Kentucky  was  published.  This  I  have  never  seen,  nor  do  I 
know  of  a  copy. 

476  Wright  (Eleazer),  psued.  of  R.  McNemar.  A  review  of 
the  most  important  events  relating  to  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
United  Society  of  Believers  in  the  West ;  with  sundry  other  documents 
connected  with  the  history  of  the  Society,  collected  from  various 
journals.   Union  Village,  Ohio,   1831.  34  pp.  16  mo. 


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